Do you remember the excitement you felt as a kid during the Christmas season? I’m thinking of the feelings that came with the anticipation of all events associated with the holiday, such as making a Christmas wish list, decorating the tree, wondering what might be in the festively-wrapped packages and so much more.

It’s difficult for me to describe this feeling because, even though I remember how excited I was, I can’t bring up the exact childhood feeling anymore. It was a rather delicious feeling that seemed to settle in the chest and stomach.

There were so many Christmas events to bring on excitement. For example, there was the Christmas program.

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Right after Thanksgiving — perhaps even before — we began practicing for the school Christmas program. The teacher had chosen parts for us in a play or two and a poem to memorize and carols to sing.

We had to learn all of this, plus do our other school work. The program was a big deal, attended by parents, community members and, once in awhile, even people from Hamilton.

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Our mothers pulled some brown curtains out of a box that had been stored away all summer, washed and ironed them and mended holes made by mice. Then we kids and the teacher hung them up to make a stage and off-stage area. The curtains even opened and closed.

Talk about excitement.

A Christmas tree was brought in and set up close to the stage. We decorated it with lights and all, and the teacher kept it lit up all day. What a treat it was to finish our school work in such a magical place.

Excitement indeed.

Once the program was finished, we had exchanged gifts with our classmates, and we had been given treat bags of candy, nuts and an orange prepared ahead of time by our moms.

We were free for Christmas vacation.

Then my siblings and I turned our attention to our own tree that Dad cut up near the forest each year. It was our tradition to put up our Christmas tree a day or two before Christmas Day, but we worried: would Dad get it cut?

What would we do if we didn’t have a tree?

Dad always came through, and we got out the boxes of ornaments. We felt as if we were meeting old friends again as we took out Rudolph, white and brown reindeer, birds and an angel that watched over the tree from its very top. Of course there were other ornaments, too, and some lights that bubbled when warm.

We couldn’t help admiring our tree.

Then, as gifts were placed under the tree, the excitement intensified. In those days we kids received gifts from Grandpa and Grandma Osborn and other relatives, even my mother’s sister from Denver.

These gifts were especially special because most were handmade. We couldn’t resist moving the packages around under the tree, even though we were warned not to. I wish I could bring up those delicious feelings of anticipation.

Of course, there was so much more to look forward to at Christmas back then. I hope this Christmas brings you hours of excitement.