Waiting, waiting, waiting. It was a dull, snowy Christmas Eve and the sweet aroma of cinnamon was lurking amidst the atmosphere of Christmas in our home. As I gazed out the window, the many layers of soft, smooth snow added to the picturesque scene before my eyes. It was as if it was a scene from a Christmas card.

There was an overwhelming feeling of excitement as the long day continued. Men, women and children worldwide were yearning for the most beautiful day of the year to arrive. Endless happiness awaited the following day, as the following day was Christmas Day. My fire was ablaze, my tree sat in the corner, submerged in an armada of various lights and baubles, and at that moment, my mother said that it was time to go to bed, and as I glimpsed at the window one last time, I saw that the night was luring the sun away.

Bang!!! That was the sound that awoke me on Christmas night. The sound was closely followed by an array of clips and clops and above all a loud voice that bellowed ‘HO HO HO!’ And I instantly knew that it must be Father Christmas, and at that, I returned to sweet dreams. That was the night before Christmas.