'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. That's what the immortal poem says, but 'taint so at our house. That's the night the gifts are opened.

There seem to be two schools of thought on this matter of opening presents. Some do it on Christmas Eve; others the following morning. I subscribe to the first theory, although the latter group can make a pretty good case.

If you have three wild Indians around the house like we have who are counting the minutes until they can tear into those mysterious packages, you are rather anxious to let them get at it. If you don't there is danger they might burst of curiosity or the parents will die of exasperation trying to stall them off.

On the other hand, if you place much stress on the Santa Claus idea, you should follow through and wait until he has brought gifts during the night and open them in the morning. It must be rather confusing to children to have Santa bringing gifts and people giving gifts, too. However, I don't recall that dilemma bothering me much at that age. I just took things as they were--or should I say as they came?--without regard to the whys and wherefores.

There is also a practical aspect to opening presents on Christmas Eve. If you go to church late in the evening and you can sleep in the morning, you don't particularly care to be routed out of bed at the crack of dawn to see what brought.

On the whole, though, Christmas is an exciting time for Christmas no matter what routine you follow. It probably is a tossup whether to have the children exciting going to bed with all their new things--usually heaped so high in bed they can barely squeeze in themselves--or have them so excited in anticipation of the next morning they cannot get to sleep waiting to listen for Santa.

The Christmas tree, the lights, globes and trimmings, the commotion, the fancy meals, the family gatherings all serve to stir up the enthusiasm of the children and make it something special for them. After all, it really is their time of year and all efforts are designed to make them more happy.

Christmas music has a quality all it's own that puts the finishing touches on Christmas festivities, sort of like frosting on the cake. One reason for its popularity is that it is used only two or three weeks a year and then put back in mothballs. "White Christmas" is one piece which came into a prominent spot via the movies a few years ago and seems destined to become one of the standard holiday selections along with the carols and classics. The same cannot be said, I hope, of "All I want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth."

The Appleton Press, December 24, 1948