My favorite Christmas

Christmas Time the most Wonderful Time of the Year!
I love Christmas. I have so many happy memories of Christmas. The one the sticks in my mind the most would be the year mom decided that my brothers family needed a secret Santa. I couldn't tell you which year it was I can never remember that kinda thing. I do know that she had just gotten sick so she couldn't get out and run. We decided that we would do it for the 2 weeks before Christmas. We probably only did it seven nights total. We would go one night skip a night go two nights in a row skip a night that sort of thing. We bought really cheap gifts like bungee cords, those cheap plastic combs basically that first night we stopped at a convenient story on the way to his house and wrapped the stuff in the car.
Mom had come and picked me up from work and told me what she wanted to do. I was working at the convenient store were we had bought the gifts. I think that's why it sticks with me. Mom had a whim, wanted to play a little game and instead of saying OK we will start this tomorrow, after we go shopping. I was like let's go. Here's a bungee cord Terry keeps borrowing these, Here is a mug Erica likes coffee. etc.
After that first night, which was very easy, drop the stuff knock on the door go back to the car. When we spoke to terry the girls were so excited about getting these gifts. Mom and I went shopping and got a game plan. We didn't have a lot of money so we figured that it would be fun to have the gifts get gradually better over time. Mom knew what gifts she wanted to give them on Christmas eve. I think Terry got new jeans. Actually I believe she wanted to give winter clothes to all of them. I wish she was here to ask. I think that was the whole point to this. She wanted to help them out with winter clothes but didn't want them to know she was doing it. For me it wasn't about the gifts so much as the excitement that they had getting something every night.
The second and third night were also easy ,terry was at work, just drop and run. I think it was freaking Erica out a little bit so Terry decided he was going to catch us. That's when it started to get really fun. Me and mom had to start plotting on how we could leave these gifts and not get caught. Luckily, at first terry didn't suspect us. So he would tell us what kinds of traps he would be setting.
I remember on night I put the stuff on the porch and threw a snow ball at the house. Another night I ran to a shed across from there house and a motion light came on I thought for sure Terry would catch me. I remember he came out and looked around. Of course, I got a way. It was great because then we would have to drive home. We would be laughing so hard because mom was in the car watching what both of us were doing.
On one of the nights it had snowed and there was about 6 or 7 inches of snow. We had figured out that Terry would always have to put shoes on before he could start chasing me, but this night he was ready. He came out much faster then he ever had I barely got around the house, I could hear him coming for me. OOPS, I tripped face first in the snow. I couldn't breath for a second or see. I literally landed face first. Plus I was so afraid to move. I didn't want to draw attention to myself. But luckily I got away again, I couldn't believe it. when I got back to the car I was covered in snow. I thought mom was going to pee here pants she had seen all of it go down. She couldn't stop laughing. It was hilarious. The next day when we went over to Terry's he showed us my tracks. You could see were I ate snow. Kerplunk!! He thought that was funny that someone had wiped out. If he only knew. Mom and I laughed so hard about that.
After about a week of this Terry started to suspect it was us. We had to get others involved. Erica's brother was staying with them so we went over one night and left the gifts out front. We went in and Erica's brother went out and he was secret Santa that night. I have to admit even though we knew it was going to happen. It was so cool opening the door and seeing these Christmas presents on the porch. Plus the reaction from all of them was priceless. The girls start jumping around "It's him!! It's him!!" Terry and Erica going into action. Trying to catch Santa.
I was sad to see Christmas come, because we had to stop. It wasn't just giving the gifts and trying not to get caught, which was so exciting. It was nice shopping with Mom and being able to talk to her. Terry lived about 30 min. from us at the time. It was at least an hour that mom and I got to talk. It was a great bonding time for us. That Christmas was the best.