The First Gift of Christmas

We have a Christmas tradition at our house that I started several years ago. We call it "the last gift of Christmas."

At our house we have a certain way of doing things on Christmas Day. We start with the Santa Gifts (Yes, even though my kids are now 22 and 20 and are in college, Santa still visits our house and I half suspect that he always will!).

Then comes our most favorite part of Christmas - the stockings. It takes us a while to do stockings because we go slowly with each person one at a time pulling out just one item at a time from their stocking. That takes us to breakfast.

Later in the day we open the gifts from grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. After opening each set of gifts we stop and call that family member to say thanks and wish them a "Merry Christmas." That usually takes us right up until dinner time.

After dinner we open the best gifts of all - the gifts from each other. By this time it is well into the evening. And it was at this point every year, when we came to the last gift from each other, that my wife and kids would say, "I hate it when it's over."

So several years back I bought my wife, my daughter and my son one extra gift each without them knowing about it. I waited until it was about 11pm on Christmas and everyone was thinking about turning in for the night. Then I called them into the family room and presented them with "the last gift of Christmas." It has become a tradition that everyone in my family looks forward to. I try to make sure that "the last gift of Christmas," though inexpensive, is special in some way. That is how our Christmas celebration now comes to an end.

While you will not be at my house at 11pm on Christmas this year to receive a "last gift of Christmas," I would still like to do something special for each of you who are part of the Gaylord E-Free family. As a result, this Sunday I am going to give to each of you your "first gift of Christmas." That's right! You don't want to miss Sunday and this special gift. I have put a lot of time and thought into it and I think it is a gift that you just may end up appreciating more than any other gift you receive this holiday season.

So don't miss Sunday here at Gaylord E-free as I give to each of you your "first gift of Christmas!"