The Post of Christmas Past

My childhood Christmas's have never been the glitz and glamour of Hollywood TV. They had always been filled with boxes of Salvation Army donations. Things that had been donated by other families, to the less fortunate. I can remember thinking as a kid, I bet this was the best present ever, when it was opened the first time. Before parts when missing or where broken or tattered from use. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I was grateful to get anything I got, and was happy with it...mainly because I didn't know any better. I recall going back to school after Christmas vacation and hearing about things the other kids got and thinking if I wasn't a poor white kid living on an Indian Reservation, I would get things like that too. Unfortunately, I was a poor white kid, living on a reservation and poor white kids living on Indian reservations didn't get cool stuff like that for Christmas. They got stuff from Salvation Army and they liked it or else. Or else next year they got nothing for Christmas. I seemed even as a kid to just know my place in the world. I do recall one Christmas being my favorite as a kid. I'm not sure how my Mom managed to get one since they where a particularly hard item to find that year...I do know it had to have sat in Lay-a-way for some time to be able to afford such an item in time for Christmas. It has always been my uber-gift. It was a ColecoVision, and it was brand spanking new. While other kids where getting the Atari 2600 and 5200, I had gotten the have-to-have system of the year, that year. Thanks Mom, you're the best.

My times sure have changed. Here "WE" are twenty-five years later, sitting in the living room of my own house (or soon to be in 5 months). The Christmas tree is up, the stockings are hung and Christmas is just around the corner. The boys are playing their new Wii (early Christmas present)in front of the 65" big screen. They have a choice of any game system they want. Nintendo Advance, DS, PS1, PS2, PSP, Xbox, Xbox 360 and now the Wii. There are TV's is every room, equipped with their own HD Satellite receiver and HD DVD. There are 3 laptop, computers to choose from and one desk top. Who says, you can't break the chains in your life. I would have never imagined being able to give my kids all this stuff for Christmas...not in a million years. I would have never imagined kids, for that matter. Which leads me to my favorite adult present, ever given. One Christmas Eve, in 1999, I asked my fiance (now wife) for a special present. I asked her for a baby....now I was a bit disappointed, come Christmas morning when their wasn't any baby under the tree but to my delight on September 19th of 2000 (he was a week early). I finally got my Christmas present. He has been an absolute joy to have ever since. Thanks Momma, your the best!