A Memory of Christmas
I know that there is a tremendous hubbub right now in the media and in the world of retail about whether or not the word "Christmas" should be used in marketing campaigns over the holiday season. I am no political activist and don't really have an axe to grind either way, but I will just say one thing, here at WilkeWorld we encourage the use of Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukah, or any other incarnation of a religious or non-religious holiday as long as it helps the Sea Cows.
Whew! I hope that won't be too controversial.
Now on to my memory. About six or seven years ago, my brothers and sisters and I gave the Wizard and my dear mother a kitchen table that seats ten when it has all the leaves in it. Before this wonderful and life-altering gift, my parents spent almost 3o years with the same kitchen table from the sixties. Yep, it had the formica/plastic/faux-wood oak look and was starting to peel. For those of you that remember these archaic treasures, they do, in fact, peel. I remember the shards that would lodge in my legs when I'd get close to the table.
My parent's insisted that the table was still in good working order, but I am pretty sure even now that oatmeal and peanut butter from thirty years ago was caked and plastered between the leaves. Talk about grossness in massive amounts.
When we finally made the decision to buy a new table, we had to do it incognito because the Wizard was so attached to that table that he actually cried when we took it to the dump. Ahhh, good times.
So lets hear it folks: What's the best gift you've ever given?
Whew! I hope that won't be too controversial.
Now on to my memory. About six or seven years ago, my brothers and sisters and I gave the Wizard and my dear mother a kitchen table that seats ten when it has all the leaves in it. Before this wonderful and life-altering gift, my parents spent almost 3o years with the same kitchen table from the sixties. Yep, it had the formica/plastic/faux-wood oak look and was starting to peel. For those of you that remember these archaic treasures, they do, in fact, peel. I remember the shards that would lodge in my legs when I'd get close to the table.
My parent's insisted that the table was still in good working order, but I am pretty sure even now that oatmeal and peanut butter from thirty years ago was caked and plastered between the leaves. Talk about grossness in massive amounts.
When we finally made the decision to buy a new table, we had to do it incognito because the Wizard was so attached to that table that he actually cried when we took it to the dump. Ahhh, good times.
So lets hear it folks: What's the best gift you've ever given?
posted by Cool Dad at Friday, December 02, 2005
5 Comments:
I cannot believe the stupidity of mankind. We celebrate Martin Luther King's birthday, and perhaps we should. However if I choose not to, I can keep myself occupied, while those that want to do so may. We celebrate the birth of our nation, I'm surprised that people don't protest that, I'm sure some were not born in America and it might be offensive to them. Give me a break. Tom, I am surprised that you are so milk toast about something like this. I don't think that government entities need to be shut down for Christmas, but I believe that believers should be allowed to worship how, what, and when they want to. I believe there should be separation of Church and State, but then the State and others should stay out of allowing people to celebrate the Christmas Holiday, and recognize the person whose celebration it is. I am going to become more active in standing up to what I believe is stupid and I am going to make my position clear. Now as to the table, I refute the fact that the table was dirty, your mother is a good house keeper. If you are aware of 30 years of dirt on the table, you must of hid it good. I didn't sob over the table, I was touched that our family would do something that nice....so there..and the table was one of the nicest presents that we received.
I can't seem to remember the best gift I've every given . . .maybe I'm a bad gift giver.
But I can oh so recall the best gift(s) I've ever received.
1. A bright yellow MG convertible to drive around Southern California for the summer (my dad got me this one!).
2. A puppy (my mother's boyfriend finally convinced her to let me have the most adorable little golden retriever).
In so far as Christmas is concerned, I think the marketers do whatever they believe will make the most money . . .I'm Jewish, but don't really care if a retailer says Merry Christmas. But perhaps in their experience, it impacts their bottom line. Or maybe they are just afraid that it will. I view the whole thing as simply marketing and not any true expression of good wishes anyway.
Merry Christmas to you, Tom! That's sweet about the table....
Best gift I've given... a couple come to mind...
An old boyfriend and I gave my niece her first bike. We were up til the wee hours assembling (ok, I was just supervising) & then we positioned it just so outside the door the next morning, as it was from Santa. It had a cute little basket, a loud horn, and training wheels. That was so much fun! And it was a freakishly warm Christmas that year, so she got to try it out that day!
Another -- my sisters & I bought our parents a VCR. Must have been a good 15 or more years ago. They were living in the stone ages (drinking instant coffee... no microwave, etc), and they were positively speechless when they opened the VCR. It was excellent!
I LOVE selecting just the right gifts!!
I'm not going to answer the question...but get into the table story. I think it was a nice gift to give the wizzard and his queen a new table that will seat 10 people in the kitchen. Wow, I wish my kitchen was that big. TF and I bought a new dining room table about 20 years ago and gave our old table (the one we got when we go married) to a friend who needed it. I still have my small round, kitchen nook table, that I got about 25 years ago. It is still in good shape, so why change it out?
Grandpa, I'm with you on standing up for Christmas. Go read my last blog and see my story on it...
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