I used to think I had a good memory, but I’m starting to doubt that now. When I think back to my childhood, a few prominent events stand out, but most memories are jumbled and smushed together. Christmases all mix together in a delightful blend of family, fun, decorations, learning the story of Jesus’ birth, and being very excited about opening gifts before breakfast. But a few things are a tad bit more clear in my mind, and I thought I’d explore them a little this week. C. (10) is always interested in stories from “way back when I was young,” so I figure this is a good way to share some of my memories with him, as well.
I’ll start with illness.
Maybe I’m wrong (and since my mom reads this blog, perhaps she’ll correct me), but I remember being sick — as in stomach-bug sick — more than one Christmas morning. I don’t know if I was unfortunate enough to actually get a stomach virus on multiple Christmases or if I got so excited about the festivities that I made myself sick once or twice (not a particularly useful talent to have). Whichever was the case, I have memories of being little and lying on the couch Christmas morning, hoping I wouldn’t throw up again. Somehow, I still managed to open my presents, though.
So far, my kids have managed to avoid having stomach bugs on Christmas and I hope that trend continues!
Okay, now on to a more pleasant topic: Gifts.
I think I’ve admitted on this blog that I was the type of kid to scour the house for presents during the weeks leading up to Christmas. My mom would hide gifts in the attic and then hide the key, but I would search high and low for it. Often, I didn’t find it. But a few years, I did and found out in advance what I was getting. Some people would say that spoiled the surprise, but it really didn’t diminish my excitement at all. It was almost like getting the gifts TWICE!
All the present-finding happened when I was older though…I’d say no younger than 12. And as I said, my earlier memories are all blurry and smushed, so I don’t remember too many individual presents from those days. There are two, however, that have stuck with me, for whatever reason.
One was a car that could follow a crayon line that you drew on a special plastic mat. (You should know that I was a bit of a tomboy and I frequently preferred playing with vehicles to playing with dolls.) When I got that car, I was very excited. It was fascinating to me that I could draw a curvy, squiggly, twisty-turny road on the mat, start the car up, and it would follow my drawn path from start to finish. Very cool. To this day, I don’t know how that thing worked.
Another stand-out was a small doll playhouse shaped like an ice cream sundae. Picture a plastic ice cream sundae in a pedestal bowl, maybe a foot tall. The bowl is purple, there are several scoops of ice cream, and a cherry on top. When you turn the sundae around, you see that it opens up and becomes a house for a little doll. Now, I just told you I was a tomboy and it’s true, I didn’t play with many dolls. But this one I really liked. Maybe because my parents owned an ice cream store and so a sundae-themed dollhouse was a perfect fit. I’m not sure. But I remember playing with that toy for hours upon hours.
These days, I have tons of fun trying to pick gifts for my kids that will give them hours of enjoyment. Of course, our primary focus is on the True Meaning of Christmas, but as a gift-giver, I do love bringing the shine of excitement to their eyes when they tear off the wrapping paper.
What about you? Are there specific gifts from your childhood that stand out in your memory? Or maybe, unfortunately, Christmases you were too sick to fully enjoy? And ‘fess up…Were you a sneaky gift-snooper like me?
I was a present hunter too. I still shake and inspect presents thoroughly. I drive everyone crazy.
I was totally a gift sneaker. Until one year when I saw the gifts. I thought I was getting a Redskins jacket.. but I didn’t want to unfold it to look at because I knew I wouldn’t be able to get it folded just right. Turns out it was for my Dad and I was very disappointed. I got great presents that year but when I saw my Dad open the jacket I wanted to cry. I promised myself I would never intentionally find my presents again. I do however, like to pretend that I will sneak a peak if I can. My husband now hides my presents just in case
I was always trying to snoop for presents. When I was somewhere in my double digit years I became proficient with a paring knife to slice the tape just right and unwrap the presents, then re-wrap them nicely and only a few times did my parents notice that the wrapping looked a little funny.
Yes, you were sick on a few Christmases. But I think the “sickness” didn’t last all day, so I believe it was stomach nerves. Remember the morning we left for college for your freshman year? It’s quite frustrating for a parent, because you don’t know if it is a bug, or will it pass soon. I didn’t know till years later that you had broken the CODE(key in my robe pocket in the closet). Not only frequently did you enjoy other things to dolls. Your Raggedy Ann and Andy looked “Just bought new” for many years. A calulator would often fill the bill just nicely. Things have changed: You’ve learned to “play house” with the three men in your life, you love to bake, and have become a decipherer of real or pretend sicknesses. Merry Christmas! Love, Mom
I was a gift sneaker too but I think my mom caught on because eventually she had me wrapping the gifts, even my gifts. Today, I am still the gift sneaker but the hubby has a talent of hiding my gifts. I remember one year he had bought me a camcorder and I didn’t even know it was under the tree. He hid that well.
when I was little bitty I was given a brown teddy bear, kind of soft and reddish brown…his tale was eaten by a dog at one point and my mom sewed on an antique button….I still mourn for that little bear…he is probably in some landfill somewhere…
Katrina, I didn’t know that about you — cars and all! One year my sister and I were dying for a race car set — being girls we didn’t get those sorts of things. We got it, and I remember putting it together, but not playing with it much after that.
I also remember being sick one time. We went to my stepdad’s parents’ house each year after Christmas, and I got sick. I remember staying in bed, and my stepdad bringing me dry toast and tea. I was probably just as happy being secluded and reading my books
Oh I was a present sneaker. I think it was more the penchant to solve a mystery. But I was known to rearrange the gift piles so I got what I wanted – oops! I remember being sick on New Years more than Christmas. But in recent years, seems like I’ve been sick on or near Christmas. I, who pride myself on “never” getting sick – ha!
I always snooped, and generally always found my gifts! What I didn’t find I could usually talk my sister into telling me.