‘Twas the morning of Christmas and all through la casa, not a creature was stirring except Emery and Lala. Little brother Emery had tiptoed into Lala’s room. He knew she’d be up. 

“Do you think we can go out to the living room yet?” Emery asked.

“No it’s only 5:43, let’s let them sleep will 6:30” 

Lala was organizing her little pile of handmade and dollar store gifts that her 12 year old budget could muster together for her familia. 

“Do you want to go take a peek?” she whispered. Emery nodded eagerly.

She was thinking about a certain box she had seen under the tree. Mom usually didn’t put gifts under the tree before Christmas Eve. This helped reduce the temptations that came with waiting until Christmas and it increased the magic on Christmas morning. But this box was from Tia Patty. The small cylinder shaped box could only be one thing. Never before had she done this, but she shook the box to make sure. A mixture of guilt and sheer joy exploded inside. The sound of small plastic butterfly clips shaking together in the plastic container confirmed that Tia Patty had gotten her exactly what she wanted. 

Emery’s big eyes were excited and waiting. 

“Ok,” she said, “let’s go!”

With their arms full of gifts to add to treasure under the tree, they tiptoed down the hall.

“Wow” It took their breath away. The morning was so quiet and peaceful. For those few minutes, time seemed to stop.

Every year it was the same, but every year it was a bigger surprise. The lights were twinkling on the tree, the fireplace was stacked with wood and ready to be lit, and the presents. There were so many  presents. Where or how Mom always managed to hide all of these presents until the night before Christmas they never knew, but they always knew that late into the night on Christmas Eve, Mom and Dad were busy preparing. They couldn’t remember ever truly believing in Santa Claus, the magic of Christmas created by their Mexican-American Mama, was more than enough. 

“Let’s let them sleep for ten more minutes,” Lala said. They added their little gifts to the hearth and tiptoed back to Lala’s room. 

Christmas Spirit Lives On

Now on Christmas morning there are too many stockings for the mantle to hold. All of the nietos and nietas come to Ama’s house to experience Mexican-American girls Christmas magic.

Emery & Lala