Christmas Eve just as fun as the main event

Casey Ressler-Resslin' Around

Christmas is the one day every child has circled on their calendars, the most anticipated day of every year. For my money, though, it is only the second-best day of the year.

Personally, I'll take Christmas Eve over Christmas every year.

Now, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't mind about five or six Christmas Days a year. Choosing Christmas Eve over Christmas Day is like picking between a Ferrari or a Lamborgini. You can't go wrong either way. It's just that as I have gotten older, I've learned to appreciate much more than just the material gifts associated with Christmas morning.

My family tradition dictates a large Christmas Eve party at my parents' house. Starting in the early evening and ending in time for Santa Claus to make his rounds, the party is a time when everybody gets together and shares in the festivities. It's a chance to catch up with guys with names like KenDog and women with names like Chico.

The time spent with old friends and family on that night is worth just as much to me as waking up to gifts on Christmas morning. It's time I look forward to throughout the year.

Each year, through the well-wishing and good-byes, everybody swears to get together more often, but with deadlines, families and hectic schedules, you know it won't happen.

But on Christmas Eve, those busy schedules slow down for just one night, and everybody comes together, to have fun and enjoy each other's company.

But perhaps the biggest reason Christmas Eve is so special is the look in a child's eyes as the hours until Christmas morning slowly pass.

The anticipation is just too much for a young child to bear -- Santa Claus will be coming soon, and surely, he will bring with him plenty of goodies.

The excitement and joy in a children's eyes as they ready themselves for bed on Christmas Eve is simply priceless.

Like the time spent with family, that look is worth everything to me.

It makes me think about when I was a child, and the anticipation was so great I couldn't sleep a wink. Same thing for my sister. She would sleep on the floor in my bedroom on Christmas Eve and we would pass the time until dawn with idle chatter.

"You asleep?" I'd ask her for the hundredth time in the past hour.

"No. Are you? What time is it? Do you think we can wake up mom and dad yet?" she would reply.

Five minutes later, the same conversation would take place, as if hours had passed.

Now, years have passed. We both have married, and I have a child of my own, one who doesn't quite comprehend Christmas yet, but still knows something big is happening.

Life has changed, but one thing has not -- the excitement and anticipation of Christmas Eve.

Casey Ressler (valleylife@frontiersman.com) is the Valley Life editor. Sugar plums dance in his head all year.