To the Glory of the Unconquered Sun

I don't know how you all did it in your own homes, but growing up it was always the same for me. The evening of December 24th I'd be afire with anticipation, barely able to settle down in bed, and would always be awake at some ungodly hour like 6 AM because I'd done *more* than enough sleeping. It was time to deal with all the wrapped boxes that had materialized around the tree!

Now, I find the activities of the day more dignified, and no longer hot-blooded. I slept for ten hours this morning and rose well after the sun. Kids have those boundless reserves of hot-blooded energy, but once you start being an adult, sleep becomes even more rewarding than tearing apart the wrapping paper.

Nevertheless - it's the feeling that echoes down the years, of warmth and togetherness and all that, that I miss most about bounding down the stairs. It's something I can't really reclaim now. On December 25, 1989, when I found a Nintendo Entertainment System waiting for me down there, that was all I wanted - on December 25, 2029, I don't even know what will be. Appreciate it all while the opportunity's still here, and have it well.