It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year. My favourite part? Giving gifts. Whether they are homemade, or bought, hours of preparation and looking for that "perfect" gift is my objective. Over the years my children, and step-children have cried because they were so touched with a particular present that I gave. That is what I try to achieve every year for my friends and family.

There are two particular Christmases where my daughter, Sarah, had me cry. Today I would like to share one of those Christmases with you.

Sarah plays the piano and was in a Christmas recital six years ago, when she was 16. Sarah never, ever, agreed to play more than one piece for every recital she played in. This particular year, I was so excited because not only was there more than one song on the program we received, but there was three. Yes, three whole songs! All I kept saying was, "wow, I can't believe she is playing more than one piece. I'm so excited." Anticipation was building up. I was so excited to hear her play three pieces. Then it was Sarah's turn to play. What was she doing? She wasn't going to the piano like the others. Rather she came up to the front of the stage and looked down at me with the biggest smile I have ever seen. The moment she said, "tonight I'm not going to play the songs on the program" I started to cry, knowing very well that Sarah was going to surprise me some how. As I cried, in the front row for everyone to see, I heard her finish her speech.

"Tonight, I'm not going to play the songs on the program. My mom does not know this, but I have been practicing a song she has always asked me to play since I started piano lessons. Tonight I'm going to play Charlie Brown's Christmas. Merry Christmas, Mom." This Christmas present was so special to me, and it is one that I will always remember.