posted on December 16, 2003 12:15:19 AM new
With Xmas around the corner, I got to thinking of some childhood Christmases that stand out in my memory. Not real exciting; just random memories of Christmases past...
The earliest memory I have is from about the age of 3 or 4. I remember sitting next to the Xmas tree & opening a present: a stuffed dog that had a plastic face. I remember being thrilled with that dog...
I have a distinct memory of my 9th Xmas, wrapping two presents for my sister: a jigsaw puzzle depicting an abstract painting with paint flecks all over a white background, and a "joke" present of a single piece of bubble gum hidden in the center of a big box filled with crumpled paper. C'mon--I was 9 years-old & thought it was hilarious!
The Xmas I was in the 5th grade, there were two Frances Hodgson Burnett books that I desperately wanted. For weeks before the holiday, whenever we were in Pickwick's (now B. Dalton's), I'd drag my mom over to the display & not-so-subtly hint that I wanted them. Then, a week before Xmas we were in the store & I went to gaze upon those books. I can still remember the sick feeling that hit me when they weren't on the shelf--I was stunned. When we opened presents that Xmas Eve, there they were. Hot dog!! I still have those two books in my collection, and they spurred me to collect the author.
The Xmas I was in the 6th grade, I snooped. I peeked in my mom's closet & saw a bulletin board,something I'd been wanting. Great! A few days later I was running through the living room & saw this big, flat present leaning on the wall next to the tree. I skidded to a halt & gloated over it--until I saw the tag, which had my sister's name on it. I was crushed. Turned out, though, that it was for me--my mom had somehow cottoned on to the fact that I'd snooped... :cD
This last memory isn't really from childhood, since I was in high school, but it just goes to show how long I'm willing to wait to get what I want:
When I was six years-old, I desperately wanted cowboy boots. My mother, though, wouldn't get me cowboy boots. I can remember her telling me that she would get me cowgirl boots, but not cowboy boots. Now, in those days, cowgirl boots were these hideous red boots with white tops embroidered with red designs. No way I wanted those. My mom stood firm, though, & said "It's cowgirl boots or nothing." And I can remember answering: "Then it's nothing." And I never got the coveted cowboy boots.
Segue to my senior year in high school, and that Xmas, my grandmother gave me $40. That year, harness boots (a kind of cowboy boot) were in style. To my mother's dismay I went out after Xmas & bought a pair. Eleven years, but it was worth the wait. And that's the way it's been all my life: I've found that if I wait long enough everything I've ever wanted will be mine.
posted on December 16, 2003 08:03:25 AM new
bunni - What fantastic memories. And I'm happy to hear you finally were able to get 'your' boots. That's great.
My childhood Christmas memories were not so great. Usually asking for only one thing and not getting it. Got practical things though..needed items....pj's, socks, school clothes. Just not things that were too exciting.
Think that's one of the reasons I have always gone 'nuts' at Christmas time with gift giving. It is fun and exciting. And Christmas stockings were are my favorite things to fill too. I'd search all year long and wrap each tiny gift in paper to put in the stockings. I LOVED it.
Great thread topic. I hope more will share their Christmas memories.
posted on December 16, 2003 11:55:31 AM new
My favorite Christmas memory was when I got my first brand new bike... that still sticks with me to this day.
I do like this time of year, we always had family get togethers and that meant lots of good food and fun...
posted on December 16, 2003 11:57:39 AM new
Mine memories were good ones. Well, but when my mother wrapped the guitar I wanted, without any box, it was kinda obvious what it was
One holiday before Christmas, I was in H.S. my brother out of H.S. , my parents went out for the evening with ALL the presents under the tree waiting for Christmas Eve (thats when we always did presents) we.. uh, opened EVERY single present, then wrapped them back up... boy ... that was no fun after that! knowing exactly what everything was! But to this day, we still talk about it, and I tell him it was HIS IDEA!!! (and it was, I would never think up something so wrong!)
Wanna Take a Ride? Art Bell is Back! Weekends on C2C-www.coasttocoastam.com
posted on December 16, 2003 01:58:38 PM newopened EVERY single present, then wrapped them back up...
lol...our sons admitted to getting in our bedroom closet and doing the same thing. Years later when they told us about it...they said the same thing...they were so disappointed on Christmas day.
Our youngest son somehow, and to this day I don't know how, was too good at guessing what was in almost all his packages. It became a tradition for him to tell us what was in the packages before he opened them. So I started wrapping them in the original box they came in, then putting that box in a larger box - wrapped that box...and so on. Or I used boxes that were totally different than what the gift would usually be in orginally.
posted on December 16, 2003 02:20:14 PM new
Your kids did it too? well I felt bad after, and my brother and I, to this day, and this was like 30 PLUS years ago! argue, saying 'it was YOUR idea' and he will say, 'No,it was YOUR idea!' LOL
You have got a lot of patience on wrapping, I've been doing it today, trying to finish, and I am getting so tired of it my kids (OK THEY ARE spoiled) will still COUNT how many they have!!! brats....
Wanna Take a Ride? Art Bell is Back! Weekends on C2C-www.coasttocoastam.com
posted on December 16, 2003 02:38:07 PM new
Mine was the year I wanted an Atari 2600. They had come out the year before and I think I was the only kid on Earth that DIDN'T have one. I don't believe I've EVER wanted anything that badly. I would literally DREAM about that thing.
My parents bought on the day after Thanksgiving, and by the time Christmas rolled around, I had opened the box, plugged it in an played it four or five times!
It was still the best Christmas GIFT ever!
The very next year I got my first computer so I could make my own games. Three years later I started college to learn to be a "real" programmer, so I guess it was one of the most influential gifts as well.
I still make my livelihood by computer, but not in the way I had pictured it back then!
-------------------
Replay Media
Games of all kinds!
posted on December 16, 2003 07:58:45 PM new
Like Twelvepole, my best memory was a bike also..We were very poor and my Dad had bought a used Bike and painted it just like new. I've never been so thrilled and proud of my Dad also!!!
posted on December 16, 2003 09:48:30 PM new
Alot of my Christmas memories have been great even though as a child I spent them with other families as my mother spent alot of time in a mental hospital including the last years of her life. I guess one of my favorite Christmas's would have been when we had some neighbors that didn't have anything. We gave them our Christmas tree and I gave their kids alot of my toys. They were really happy and it was worth it all.
posted on December 17, 2003 01:23:04 AM new
My most memorable Christmas was when I was six years old. My parents had already decided to divorce but had not told anyone determined to have one great memorable holiday and they suceeded. I got Miss America dress up set, a little TV for my room and a pink clock radio which both still work and are at my mothers. Both of sets of my grandparents came over (the only time I think this ever happened). My maternal grandparents used to bring all of their gifts in this gigantic stocking and this was the first year that I could stand in it and not have it come over my head. My best friend (five years later she became my step sister) came over with her princess outifit and we got in a big 6 year old girl arguement (five minutes argueing, five minutes silent treatment - make up over candy canes) over which was cooler - a Princess or Miss America. It was a wonderful day
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
