Since the beginning of time, kids have lived for three days out of the year: the first day of summer vacation, their birthday, and Christmas. December has always been a magical time of year for those who celebrate. Unfortunately, I have quite often heard people saying that they wish they had appreciated some certain time more as they were living it because after it was gone they suddenly realized exactly what it meant to them.

For me, however, this is not true. I always loved every minute of that magic. From the time that the tree went up, to the first present laid underneath, to all the specials on tv, to eating dinner Christmas Eve night with my whole family, to the excitement of Santa’s visit. This was still true even after I married and had kids of my own. This feeling lasted until the Christmas after my sister died in April of 2000. That was the last family holiday we spent.

Now as I grow older, and my family dwindles even more with deaths and divorce, I look back on those cherished memories. I can’t decide if its worse that I did appreciate those days so much back then and that makes me so much more sad to have lost them. Or, if the lucky ones are the ones that didn’t appreciate these special days and therefore don’t realize what they have missed.