A short time ago, I returned home from Midnight Mass. From the time I was about 10 and my parents deemed me old enough to be able to stay up that late on Christmas Eve, this has been my favorite part of Christmas. I love entering the hushed church, dim with candlelight and evergreens decorated in tiny white lights and filled with a sense of anticipation and excitement. There follow all the familiar scripture readings and the lovely old carols, always ending with the triumphant “Joy to the World.”

Then, sleepy yet happy, we trek home through the dark, chilly night to our house, all lit up with colorful lights. Baby Jesus is popped into his manger bed in our creche scene, and the  final preparations for the morning are made. Once I became a parent, that often included wrapping final gifts, filling stockings and making sure “Santa” had sampled the milk and cookies our girls had left out for him.

At last, all is calm. I take a few moments to sit by the tree, admiring the lights, the ornaments (spanning decades and trips near and far), the peace and the anticipation of the great unwrapping to come. Yes, this is my favorite part of Christmas: the chores, the hustle, the waiting are over; dear ones are once again under one roof; fun and joy are still to come.

May you enjoy this lovely time of year with those near and dear to you.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor