When my kiddos were young, we had a tradition of opening one gift on Christmas Eve. It just so happened that every single year the gift was new pajamas, perfect for jumping into and heading to bed ahead of Santa’s visit.
As they got older, and wise to the appearance of pajamas every year, I decided that I would be terribly clever and give them Christmas quilts instead. I sewed for days, sneaking the work in after the kids had gone to bed. Christmas Eve day arrived, I realized that the quilts would not be ready on time. Off I went, over the river and through the woods, on a last-minute mission. Once again there were pajamas carefully wrapped and tucked under the tree.
With the quilts so close to being done, and my kids none-the-wiser to my plan, I decided to tap into some Christmas magic. After the kids were asleep, I stayed up. Sewing, quilting and binding into the wee hours of Christmas morning.
At last both quilts were finished, and a bleary-eyed mom crept like a holiday elf into bedrooms to cover sleeping children.
I woke to squeals of excitement, and I knew it had all been worth it. All day they wrapped themselves in those quilts, and we spent a lovely holiday together. Seeing how much the quilts were loved then, and are still loved today, makes every second I spent stitching and piecing absolutely worth it..
Besides, a tired mom knows that there’s always time for a nap under a soft, warm quilt!