We all have fond memories of Christmas time from our childhood days and I have one to share that I will always remember. I was around 11 years old and my friends and I had built a snowfort in the pile of snow at  the head of the driveway. It was a cold, gray, blustery day and the snowball fight was at its tempest when my father pulled onto the driveway with a smile on his face and a big Christmas tree in the back of his truck.

My father looked at me, "Give a hand buddy," he said with a smile.

"Sure!" I replied, excited to see how hugh the tree was.,My friends looked on as I helped my dad pull the tree out of the truck and through the front door of the house. The warmth of the house felt good as we stepped inside and my brothers and sisters were jumping with joy at the sight of the Cristmas tree.

At first my mother was smiling but her smile turned to a frown when she looked at the sight of me all full of wet snow."Look at you!" she said as she helped me take off my coat and boots. "Please, go get cleaned up, your clothes are on the dresser."

"Okay mom," I replied as I looked at my father talking to himself as he and my brother worked on setting the big tree in the stand. When I came out for dinner, I could smell the pine in the air as I sat at the table and looked at our magnificent Christmas tree.

After dinner we decorated the tree and finaly my father, after an epic struggle, got the lights working. I stood in awe at the sight of the majestic beauty. Mom came over with a smile and asked me to give the tree some water. I crawled under the tree with the water cup and poured it in the stand. I turned on my back and looked up through the tree, the lights twinkling, the tinsle sparkling and I was lost in the beauty of it all. That was the last thing I remember about that night until my mother poked me awake and I realized I was still under the tree and it was bedtime. Full of hope and joy, I headed for bed and dreamed of snow ball fights and presents under our glorious Tree.