When we were little, my Grandparents always came to stay on Christmas Eve. Every year, when it was bedtime, my gran always came upstairs with my sister and I and read stories and sang every Christmas song imaginable to us, trying to get us to sleep. My sister always went to sleep fairly quickly, but my poor gran must have had the patience of a saint when it came to me! I don't know how many renditions of 'I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus', ' Rudolph' and various others she would go through, before I eventually dropped off.
I remember one year in particular....I must have been about seven or eight....and poor gran seemed to have singing for hours! I have no idea what time it was, but it must have been pretty late. She had started to make mutterings about Santa not being able to come, if I didn't get to sleep...and then- horror of horrors!-there was a THUMP! from the roof. Always the quick thinker, Gran said ' I think that might be him...that sounded like the reindeer landing on the roof' . Panic set in, but she said she reckoned that he would be going to the neighbours' houses first(we lived in a terraced house, so it made sense to me that Santa would park his sleigh then just pop between houses!)
Believe me, I was asleep in minutes!
It only occurred to me years later, that it was actually my dad getting fed up waiting and going up to the hidey-hole in the loft! Having spent years of waiting for the 'coast to be clear', before sitting up well into Christmas day building Lego Fire Stations, cribs for dolls etc. I can well understand his frustration!!
This story is part of Sian's 'Storytelling Sunday'....if you go over to her blog From High in the Sky you will find a great selection of stories to enjoy. Since starting my blog at the beginning of this year, I have 'met' and been embraced and touched by so many , from so many parts of the world. Sian has been a big part of making that possible, through this wonderful, monthly event (and generally just by being the lovely , creative, supportive person she is!).....so a big THANK YOU from me Sian-and whatever you decide to do with Storytelling Sunday next year, I'll be there!
Thanks for dropping by!
take care of you
Alison xx
You have made me giggle Alison, I was the sort to get up VERY early ... 1.30am was my best effort apparently ... poor Santa was lucky he made it out unidentified!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
Oh I love your story Alison, It brings back memories of trying soooo hard to got to sleep on Christmas eve with the words
ReplyDelete'If you see him, he won't come again' ringing in my ears!
The things parents do! Merry Christmas to you.
Oh it was just sooo hard to get to sleep wasn't it! I used to try so hard, squeezing my eyes tightly. I remember one year hearing a thump and rushing out to Mum and Dad to say I could hear him and my Mum saying quite matter-of-factly that she doubted it....I can remember thinking how can she be so calm!!!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas :)
Lol, this is brilliant! I still find it hard to sleep on Christmas eve, it's just too exciting! I love how your Gran used to try and coax you into it though :D
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
What a lovely memory of Christmas :) One year I could have sworn I heard bells ringing on Santa's sleigh!
ReplyDeleteOh that's reminded me of another christmas story - but I think I might have used that one last year...
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing how quickly you did get to sleep when you thought Santa was near. I would stay awake for hours on Christmas Eve and drive my mum crazy with the waiting to get to bed before she had to get up early to get the turkey in!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the holiday season and thank you for your story.
Oh you brought back that feeling of anticipation for me too. And that Santa, he was clever, wasn't he - always adapting to every situation at every house he visited! Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteAlison, thank you so much! It has been a pleasure getting to know you this year and your stalwart support for Storytelling Sunday has been much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteYour story today is a great one - at this point I will drop my Mum in it and tell you that she used to dose us with heavy duty cough bottle to make us sleepy on Christmas Eve! Actually, I think maybe she only did it the once, and it's my memory playing tricks making me think it was a regular Christmas tradition. Funny, to think of though, just like your story today.
A Merry Christmas to you and yours Alison
Love the story, you have reminded me of a similar one from my childhood.
ReplyDeleteGreat tale Alison - my Mum used to give us sleeping pills on Christmas Eve ... Smarties run under the tap to was the colour off ... nothing like a good placebo to get you off to sleep!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas ♥
Nowadays I'm the first in the house up....and end up waking the DDs because I'm so excited!!
ReplyDeleteThis did make me laugh - as a parent now I can appreciate your Dad's impatience although as a child I was just like you, I just couldn't get to sleep. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI still find it hard to sleep on Christmas Eve, there is a magic about it, the house is so still just waiting for those sleighbells x
ReplyDeleteThat's a great story Alison, it really made me laugh. I still have trouble getting to sleep on Christmas Eve x
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely story!! I had to laugh at your dad finally getting fed up & making the banging sound! LOL
ReplyDeleteI always sing my nieces to sleep when they are visiting here, but my sister hates it because then they want that when they go home. :>)
A very Merry Christmas to you!
There's not much to add to what has already been said. Great story! Happy Christmas to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteYour story made me smile Alison, ...I too still have trouble sleeping on Christmas eve x
ReplyDeleteawesome story, so true for all parents, although at present we have no worries with ours going to sleep on Christmas Eve
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have been able to sleep a wink if I thought santa was outside! Plus, having the grandparents there for the night would have been a special treat in itself!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute memory! I don't remember it being hard for me but it was very hard for my little sister to stay in bed once she woke up. There have been many a time I have wished my oldest would get in and go to bed....Santa still doesn't come until they are both asleep.
ReplyDeleteI love that story it is straight out of a Christmas Movie (and believe me when I say I have watched a lot and I love them!) so sweet and so festive thanks so much for sharing Alison have a very merry Christmas is sunny Spain xxx
ReplyDeleteIt truly made me smile, what a lovely happy Christmas story.
ReplyDeletegreat story Alison! I've enjoyed reading several people's storytelling sundays. Think I might join in next year:)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely Gran and a quick thinking one too! Great story
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet story and how lovely that you were able to spend Christmas with your grandparents.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree 100% with your final paragraph. Sian has really brought us together in more ways than I would have ever imagined!
Lovely story, and that vintage illustration is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteRinda
Love it - yes we do a lot of waiting for the children to go to sleep before the presents can come out of the loft! At least we have a loft ladder. My parent used the same hidey hole but to get in the loft had to drag out a chest of drawers and then put a chair on top and still had to then swing their legs in - how they did it without waking us I don't know!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful memory Alison. Thanks so much for sharing it with us. My problem was not the getting to sleep it was waking up too early (hmmm that still seems to happen,lol). It's been really nice getting to know you this year through your stories.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you and your family.
Having been the one sitting up into the small hours constructing, I have to say I know how your Dad must have felt!!
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful story. Such a great memory to record.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet story! I tell my kids elaborate tales like that all the time, about Santa, the tooth fairy, etc :) Even though my daughter is 18 I've never said none of it is real - I just tell them "if you don't believe in the Easter Bunny he'll know & won't bring your eggs, etc!"
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful memories Alison. I always had trouble getting to sleep as a child too. No such problem now as I'm always exhausted with waiting up, until my little girl drops off!!
ReplyDeleteWishing you Merry Christmas. Fiona xx