Our best holiday gifts are usually not bought but are precious memories shared with those we love. As I look back on my Christmas holidays, one year stands out. I wanted my guests to Experience the childlike joys of Christmas in spite of the chilly winter weather and the fact that “adults” don’t typically act childish. I invited friends who didn’t have family for the holiday season and they all arrived to share a weekend at our mountain home.

  On Christmas Eve, I gave each a stocking to hang. Their polite groans reflected adults who had become jaded by life’s tampering hardships. The guests displayed little to no childlike candor. In spite of their lack of enthusiasm, each stocking had their embroidered name, so to please me, they dutifully hung them by the chimney without care. 

  At bedtime, everyone went upstairs. The winds blustered about boldly. When snoozing began, I quietly tiptoed to the outer room and filled each stocking with goodies and placed special “Santa gifts” under the tree for each guest. It was a long task, requiring patience and determination but a labor of love. Finally, when each handpicked Santa gift was nestled under a magically lit Christmas tree and the stuffed stockings sagged from the mantle, I tiptoed upstairs and slipped into bed pulling a warm comforter over my icy body and fell deep asleep. 

  It wasn’t but a few minutes when I heard shrieks and screams that woke the entire household. I bolted awake and staggered downstairs, wobbling and reeling with cloudy headiness. Then I realized the sounds were of delight, not danger.

  Our “adult kids” had found the magic of Christmas. They giggled with delight unwrapping each fitting gift and exploring stuffed stockings. “How did Santa know I like this?” I watched them transformed into joyful children by believing in magic again. Gleeful eyes, upturned mouths, giggling and laughing happily. It was magic for me too. 

  Later that day I made fondue for the first time. It was definitely an adventure as two different cheeses bubbled energetically in wine laced pots. Huge trays of veggies, meats, breads, shrimp waited to be dipped. Soon, everyone ate and ate. No weight concerns for that day!
  I asked each guest to bring something to share: song, dance, poem, story, whatever they wanted with us. It was a great variety show and we all enjoyed the sharing; saving our storyteller friend, Ellis, for after dessert. 

 Dessert was an experiment. A chocolate fondue, rich with cream, sugar and even more potent Kirsch. I had no way to measure the liqueur, so I poured in a generous amount. Soon there was a beehive of animated conversations. The more we sampled this fondue, the less we talked. Soon, conversations melted into quiet. 

  I noticed, one by one, each curled up in a cozy comfy spot away from the chocolate fondue table and snoozed into dreamland. (Too much Kirsch, I guessed.) I laid down and melted into darkness too.

  Later when we awakened, our storywriter Ellis, was to read his children’s holiday stories. We all got our pillows and blankets and curled up on the floor to enjoy his great storytelling legacy. 

  As Ellis looked out to our eager smiling faces. He began, “Once upon a tine…” Ellis read and read…and read. If he had not been so intense in his storytelling presentation, he might have seen we were all fast asleep again.
  We did not hear any of his story until he said, “…and they lived happily ever after.” Suddenly, as if on cue, we all awoke. Some yawned and stretched, but to cover up our embarrassment of sleeping, we encouraged him by saying, “That was a great story, Ellis! Tell us another one!”

  Prodded by our eager encouragements and his own great ego, Ellis began to tell us tell us another story. He began again, “This is the story of a princess and…..”  Again, our eyes closed slowly and our storyteller continued his storytelling journey – alone. 

  Later I learned that Ellis devotedly told several stories that we never heard. I read his stories later that day. They were great! Some guests said it was the generous overdose of Kirsch in the dessert fondue that made them sleep through his stories. I preferred to think it just felt good to snuggle into a blanket and cushy cloud pillow while drifting into the magic of childhood story listening. I figure we each got our own version by dreaming of his stories.

  Later that day as friends left, each one said it was the best Christmas they ever celebrated and thanked me for sticking to my dream of bringing out their childlike natures despite their initial resistance. 

  I shared this favorite Christmas story with you, in hopes that you too will follow your heart’s desire to bring magic to this holiday time. It will reward you with many blessings as you see the joy shared with those you love and who love you.

  May the magic of this season be the reason you celebrate and love life and those special people who are in your life.

 These are the true gifts that keep on giving.