Twenty Four Sleeps!

As kids, the first day of December, signalled the count down to Christmas.  The advent calendar would come out, we each got a turn to hang the number for the day on the calendar.  We counted the sleeps, every night was counted as one.  With the smell of cinnamon and other spices, permeating the house, the level of excitement would build up steadily, until Christmas arrived.

Until the family gathered on Christmas Eve, to sing Christmas carols, at Grandma's (Ouma's)  house.  We would gather in the lounge and the kids would spill over into the sunroom of the family room.  We could play, snack on the cookies and watch through the tall glass windows to see,  if we could spot Santa arriving.

He always came down those steep terracotta stairs.  From the top of the garden at the little garden gate, next to the postbox.   You knew he arrived when his HO-HO-HO, rang out over the air in the silent night!  Some of the younger kids, was not sure what to make of him, they would promptly burst into tears, until he started handing out the presents, calling out the names on the gifts.  He always silently disappeared, without anybody really taking notice....