Rex, age six, came in wearing my bathrobe and carrying a mop handle. He sat on the stool and looked at the flashlight. Nancy, age ten, draped a sheet over her head, stood behind Rex and began, "I'm Mary and this boy is Joseph. Usually in this play Joseph stands up and Mary sits down, but Mary sitting down is taller than Joseph standing up so we thought it looked better this way."
Enters Trudy, age four, at a full run. There were pillowcases over her arms. She spread them wide and said only "I'm an angel."
Then came Ann, age eight. I knew she was a wise man because she had on her mother's high heels and walked like she was a wise man riding a camel. On a pillow she carried three items, undoubtedly gold, frankincense, and myrrh. She walked across the room and announced, "I'm all three wisemen. I bring precious gifts: gold, circumstance, and mud."
That was all. The play was over. I didn't laugh, I prayed. How near the truth Ann was. We come at Christmas burdened down with gold, with the showy gifts and the tinsely tree. Under the circumstance we can do no other. And it really does seem a bit like mud when you think about it. But my children saw through the earthly and found the real reason for Christmas - to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
"Elizabeth! It's time to leave or we'll be late for the play", Dad yelled up at Mom.
"Roger, I'm almost ready, go make sure that Suzan is ready."
I sat starting at our Chrismtas tree, when dad found me.
"Suzie, what'cha doing?", he asked with that funny grin of his.
"Just sitting here, waiting. Dad, does Christmas lose it's magic when you stop believing in Santa Claus?"
It was the first year Mom and Dad had told me the truth about Santa, so Christmas seemed different, til' Dad gave me a gift from under the tree.
I looked back at my Dad and I could see that he had tears in his eyes; his little girl was growing-up and realized he wanted it to slow down.
"Come here sweetheart. Santa may not be real, but the magic of Christmas is always there. If you can't find it, let show you where it is, this way you'll always be able to find it."
He took my hand and guided me to the base of tree.
"Now lay down, so you are looking up into the tree."
We both laid down on the floor looking up into the magnificant treasure of our tree. As the lights twinkled, and the ornaments played on the tree like little toys the smell of fresh pine was all around us.
"Roger, Suzan....What are the two of you doing?" Mom asked as she walked into the living room smiling down at the two of us.
I'll never forget what my Dad said, "I'm showing Suzie, the gift under the tree."
Mom's smile widened across her face as she laid down on the floor with us to see the magic of Christmas.
As the song on the radio was coming to an end, I laughed out loud realizing I was lying under the Christmas tree. Finally understanding the gift my Father left me under every Christmas tree---the magic of memories.
