"Oh, there's no place like home.....

...for the holidays..."

I love Christmas, and I always have because I so much enjoy the opening of gifts on Christmas morning. (Not Christmas Eve, as some renegades practice). In years past, we had the family Christmas morning at my sister's house because she was the first to have children. But ever since my mom and I got this house together, we've been having it here.

Now, Faithful Readers know The Boy moved out this past Spring, so for the first time in his life, he was not going to be under my roof on Christmas Eve night/Christmas morning. Under normal circumstances this would not alarm me. He doesn't live that far away. But he's a night owl, difficult to wake up early in the morning, and I was afraid he wouldn't get here in time. Add to that, his cell phone charger is broken, and he doesn't really care.

On Christmas Eve, I urged him to come home to spend the night so that he would be here. Of course, he didn't want to do that. And when I pointed out that I wouldn't be able to contact him to wake him up, he replied, "Just go ahead and open gifts without me. I'll give mine out when I get there."

Under normal circumstances, that would probably be okay. But this Boy is my heartbeat. I never get to see him since he moved out anyway, and to have Christmas morning without him - unthinkable! I admit I cried when he said that, and it was evident in my voice. I didn't intend to put guilt on him - really, I didn't. But in his twenty-four years outside the womb, I've never not had Christmas with him. I didn't want to start now.

Still, he's a grown man, capable of making his own decisions about where to spend the night. I tried to be understanding.

I slept fitfully Christmas Eve night. Maybe he's the reason, maybe not. When I finally got up on Christmas morning, it was just before seven. I showered, got dressed, went into the kitchen to make coffee.

And there on the huge overstuffed sofa in the family room sprawled my Boy and his girlfriend, fast asleep under a big fluffy comforter.

It was all the Christmas gift I needed.

Happy New Year to all

Susan