In our family Christmas Eve was the big night
When I think back to the Christmas’s of my childhood, I can’t help but be flooded with memories of Christmas Eve at my grandparents.
In our family Christmas Eve was the big night. We would drive an hour to get to the grandparents house.
We would hurry in from the cold, dressed in our finest. My grandmother would have the pirogues ready. When walking into the house you could hear the beautiful sound of Nat King Coles voice.
My grandfather always played his Christmas record. To me Christmas was not Christmas without Nat King Cole. To this day it doesn’t even start to feel like the Christmas season until I’ve listened to his, and my, favorite Christmas song, The Christmas Song. “Chestnuts roasting on and open fire/Jack Frost Nipping at your nose”.
When I hear that soft yet strong voice begin with those words, I start to feel like a child again. Now that I have children of my own I can see the “Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow” for myself. I now can see how my children anticipate the arrivial of Santa Claus for weeks in advance.
I can see in excitement as I get them ready for bed on Christmas Eve, almost too wound up to even close their eyes. And they really do “wonder if reindeer really know how to fly” I now know the wonder in a kids’ eyes when they wake up on Christmas Morning to see that Santa has come.
Earlier this year, my grandfather passed away. When trying to compose a CD to play at the viewing, we knew it could not be without The Christmas Song. this year when I listen to this song, it will still warm my heart as always, but it will also bring a tear to my eye.
