One week before Christmas 1957, my two brothers and I were excited and anxious to see what was in the few meager packages under our spindly Christmas tree, adorned in silver icicle-tinsel, and homemade colored garland rings we children fashioned at school.


The perfect opportunity to peek into our gifts arose when Mom and Dad had a bowling tournament to attend one evening that week.
I was to be left in charge because I was the eldest at twelve, my brothers, eleven and six.
We knew just how long our parents would be away, so we secretly devised a plan the night before they were to leave.
We contrived to open all our gifts and then re-wrap them before their return after bowling.









Spitting in our hands and shaking on it, we made a pact never to tell a soul or we’d most likely get the punishment we deserved.
The plan was set in motion when the folks left the house.
We opened our gifts, played with them, then returned each to their designated boxes, carefully rewrapping every item and replacing the cute, little Santa nametags.
We thought we had pulled off the perfect Christmas caper !
However, when Christmas morning arrived, we gathered ‘round the tree and began opening gifts, trying desperately to act surprised.


We actually did fool Mom and Dad, but the occasion was not half so exciting and heartwarming as it would have been without the pre-Christmas peeking…












MERRY CHRISTMAS !!