Christmas Memories: My Family's Special Night

I remember Christmas being such a magical time of year. Everyone was happy and there was good cheer all around. My brother and I counted down the days till Christmas. There was excitement in the crisp air! We would sit and ponder our lists for Santa Claus, as so many toys danced in our heads. We couldn't wait to send our letters up to the mysterious North Pole. A few weeks before Christmas our family would decorate the house. My dad always brought home a real tree. My brother and I had so much fun putting ornaments and tinsel on the tree. I remember watching Christmas shows, and mom making us hot chocolate with mini marshmallows, and jiffy popcorn. The kind you popped on the stove in the tin. Boy it sure did taste good back in the day. About a week before Christmas we would bake cookies with mom, and we would put them in holiday tins for gifts. On Christmas Eve we would watch the special reports on TV about Santa Claus and where he was spotted flying in the sky. Also on Christmas eve we would sit with our parents and watch the grown up christmas shows. We would watch Red Skelton, Jackie Gleason and I think the Art Linklatter show, also Perry Como. We would be munching on onion & garlic potato chips and BBQ chips and I can't forget my favorite Wise potato sticks. My dad would always buy a few boxes of chocolate covered cherries ( this was every year), and eggnog to wash it all down. What a cozy warm feeling it was.