Returning home to Ottawa at Christmas time is always special to me. Being able to share the holiday season with family is one of the highlights of each year.

Being the oldest of four boys gave me some Christmas responsibilities that I always remember. I was given the enviable task of wrapping ALL of the family presents. I was sworn to secrecy; while my mother taught me to tuck and fold the Christmas presents properly. To this day, I keep a pretty good secret!

Christmas eve is my favorite night of the year for many reasons;

Our house was always decorated to the maximum. Mom had a flair for interior decorating and everything from the tree to the dining room table was ultra red and shiny.

We would all head to church in the early evening and sing carols. You could hear my Dad over all others in the church, as he could carry a tune like a professional. Even to this day he continues to be the lead singer in the firefighters parade in Ottawa.

As the time got closer to midnight my Mother would always say "Did you hear that?" The four boys would race to the window to look for Santa. "We better eat and put out Santa's milk and cookies, and get to bed, or Santa will not stop at our house, if we are not sound asleep." my mother would say.

Homemade pie was served and we huddled around our beautiful tree for the highlight of the night. My secret Christmas present wrapping of ALL presents was about to be known. Everyone was allowed to pick one special present to open. I smiled each time as a family member chose a gift, because I already knew what was inside each gift.

We were all tucked into bed just before midnight. Each year, shortly after falling asleep I would always wake up to a sound. I was certain it was the sound of reindeer on my roof. Years later, I realized that my firefighter father had brought home a ladder from the fire station, and he was likely the one on the roof making it all sound real.

Those were the days...