South Dakota Christmas

Mr. Joseph Bottum sure has a way with words. A bit melancholic, but beautiful. What's your early memory of Christmas? I remember the world being cold and staying up late with mama after papa had gone over to church to get ready for the service. Church wasn't but 500 yards from our front door, but each step was cold and dangerous, with black ice covering the ground. Church would be exciting, but mostly long -- we would run home and put out cookies and milk and try to sleep but sleep wouldn't come. In the morning, I would be up first and wake everyone else and we would open our stockings. Papa would go back to church to do the morning service, and mama would make breakfast with Em's and my help. We'd eat (scrambled eggs, little smokies, and home-made sticky buns -- the same thing every year, even now) and then open presents one by one, taking time to enjoy what was given and what was received. We'd eat Christmas dinner, go for a walk -- sometimes a drive to see the lights -- and rest.