Christmas has always been a favorite time of year for me. The holiday spirit was happy and joyous. Everyone seemed to be of good cheer. I recall walking from store to store on Main Street as a kid and there was music playing everywhere. And the decorations were so festive. Everyone had an expectation of good things. My parents were practical and we had the same small artificial tree every year. It sat on top of round cabinet in the living room with the presents stacked around the bottom. They were green before it was the “in” thing to do.
I used to look through the “wish books” as a kid. They were magical. In the fall we would get the Christmas catalogues from Sears & Roebuck, Montgomery Wards and J.C. Penney. My sister and I compiled a list for our parents with hopes everything would make the cut. I remember spending hours looking but I cannot recall getting anything we had listed on our want list. I actually can’t remember a single gift I received.
As I became older, I lost the excitement of getting something. When you reach to a certain age, you simply buy the things you want and usually don’t much care for the things others give you. You have to act thankful for something you know you will never use. We all know what that is like.
In our family growing up we would get each person in the family one gift. That meant I would buy for seven people. I put a lot of thought into what I was going to get each one. I was certain they would love it more than anything else they received. I can still remember those gifts I purchased. One year I bought my older sister a Carpenter’s record. It was the “Close to You” album. My sister was five years older than me and so cool. She got tickets to go to see the Carpenters at the Mayo Civic and when her college friend cancelled out, she took me instead. So, I knew that was the perfect gift and she would be thrilled. The last year I lived at home I bought my little brother Aaron a battery powered robot with a voice. The body of the robot was inflatable so we blew it up and pointed it at our cat, Buffy. It said, “I am Marzon” and lumbered toward the cat. Buffy was a monster slayer and took one swipe and Marzon deflated on the spot. Shortest life for a present ever.
My mother was also special and I wanted to get her something she would really appreciate. When I look back, I realize that a 12 year-old boy has no clue what to get , but I was on a mission. I had searched all the catalogues and came across the perfect thing in my mind. It was a jewelry box that played a tune when opened. And this was not just any music box. It was a Swiss Chalet. There was a water wheel on the side that one would turn to wind the mechanism. They when the roof was lifted where your treasures were kept it would play “Edelweiss”. I would give my mom the cash for my purchase and she would write a check out to the mail order company. I quickly wrapped it the day it arrived. I could barely contain myself waiting for her to open it. I do not remember my mother’s reaction to opening her gift that Christmas. My mother was a diplomat. She had six kids and tried to treat each one evenly. I remember she used to say, “I love all my kids”. I couldn’t understand that, I mean I grew up with the rest of them.
Looking back, I realize why I can remember the gifts I gave and not the ones I received. The whole spirit of Christmas is giving. It is better to give than to receive. That is even a Bible verse. Acts 20:35 remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”.
I like being an adult. We do not give gifts to each other anymore. If you truly want to do something for someone you love, why wait until an arbitrary date? Just do it now.
