Whilst doing an inventory of Christmas decorations and bric a brac, what to my wondering eyes should appear? It couldn't be! But yes it was! I smiled so hard my face hurt. Immeadiately I was taken back to another time when the hardest thing in life was trying to sleep on Christmas Eve, ( well ok, waiting for the final school bell to ring ranks up there too). Some way, some how, mom maybe? There in the bottom of a box of decorations, ones obviously not touched in quite a few years, was an old flannel Christmas Stocking! Red on the front side, and white (slightly yellowed with age) on the other. On the red side, Santa's cherry cheeked face, and on the white, red and white striped candy canes, all bordered by holly leaves and covered in glitter sparkles.
I caught myself holding my breath and let it out slowly. Mixed in with all the shiny new stuff, the animatronic santas, wreaths and garland, was a Christmas Stocking. My Christmas Stocking. My FIRST Christmas Stocking.
P.S. I think I have a picture or a slide somewhere of me at 3 or 4 with it. I'll see about putting it up if I can locate it in a reasonable amount of time.