What’s your most memorable Christmas gift ever? I’m not talking about the most valuable or opulent or even the most appreciated.
We live in a prosperous country. Even the poor live better than kings and queens of old. Abundance has always been part of our family celebrations. I must admit, I probably couldn’t tell you a single gift I got last year without some serious thought, but Christmases from my youth stand out in my mind. I was fortunate to receive some truly stunning gifts in my childhood. A red Schwinn bike, my own remote-control TV, and a life-sized Madame Alexander baby doll lying in a darling blue baby buggy are probably the most significant.
Recently, I heard a story from a fellow writer about their anguish over having peeked at a Christmas present as a child. They never cheated again and had more than slight regret over their impulsive desire to get a head start on Christmas. The story caused me to recall a “cheating” experience of my own.
While in elementary school, I spent vacation days alone until my mom got home from work. Robbie, the little boy who lived across the street, had already given me his gift, and the oddly-shaped present sat under our tree. About 18 inches long, the circular package was no bigger around than a pencil. I believed it could be extremely easy to coax the end of the paper apart and have a look at what that gift might be—and it was easy, indeed. I may be the biggest goody-two-shoes ever, but I did not hesitate to take a peek. To my delight, the package contained a pen or rather a series of pens, each with different colored ink. The segments stacked on top of each other. Each day I unwrapped and enjoyed my treasure only to rewrap the end and stick it back under the tree before my mother got home.
Although I never peeked at any other gift in my life, I felt absolutely no remorse. I can’t recall how long that pen lasted or what became of it. Somehow, it was never so much fun after Christmas as it had been when it was my clandestine preholiday entertainment.
I still have my red Schwinn bike and my Madame Alexander doll. They have a lot of sentimental value. I would hate to part with them. Robbie’s gift may not have been the best present I ever got, but the delight I took in that silly pen makes it the most memorable.