My son is long since grown, and we no longer need to attend the children’s service on Christmas Eve. Luckily for me, I have a young niece who plays an angel in the pageant every year, giving me the chance to attend the children’s service even though my son no longer goes himself. I love to go each holiday season, and see all the little girls in their sparkly holiday dresses and patent leather shoes. Meanwhile, the little boys are bedecked in small sized suites and holiday sweaters. I have to laugh to myself as they squiggle and squirm, itching to get out of their dressy clothes but dying to impress Santa as he heads down their chimneys that night.

As they squirm on stage and shout out, I shake with mirth, thankful that I’m no longer the embarrassed mom. But boy, does it bring back memories each year! It’s with great pleasure that we watch all the kids standing on stage every Christmas, waiting for their turn to speak. It is the children’s innocence, their Christmas spirit, that provides us with such joy each holiday season. This holiday season, I hope you too have a young child in your life who lets you relive the spirit of youth.