By Steve Graf    

There’s something magical about experiencing Christmas through the eyes of a child who still believes in Saint Nick. It brings excitement and anticipation of what he’ll leave under the tree on Christmas morning. But no matter how old you are, there’s still something magical about Christmas morning.

With the Christmas season comes family traditions — traditions that may be a little silly, while others bring emotions out that remind us of a particular Christmas or maybe a loved one that is no longer with us.

For me, Christmas brings back memories of a time that seemed so simple, a time when my biggest worry as a kid was if Santa was going to accidentally pass my house without stopping. I always wondered after our visit at the Sears and Roebuck store, “Did Santa understand exactly what I wanted for Christmas?” The man never took notes, so how was he going to remember what I asked for.  

After all, I could not have been any clearer on what gift I wanted! I can only think of maybe two times that he forgot. You know, he does have a long list with a lot of names which makes his job awfully difficult.

When it comes to traditions, there are a few that my wife and I have passed on to our children. First, we never miss our Christmas Eve service at the First United Methodist Church with great music, an inspiring message, and the lighting of the candles.

My wife’s side of the family includes six brothers and sisters who all have children and grandchildren of their own. Everyone has done their part to add to the family tree, which means we now have a lot of youngsters running around.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com