It’s 5:00 a.m. and I’m looking at our dark Christmas tree. There are no presents under it because Banjo the dog will pee on them. It’s a hazard of having an old, farty dog.
But there will be a few presents under there Christmas morning. Mostly they’ll be for my boys — they’re at an age where Christmases are ranked by quantity, not quality. I know there will also be a few for my wife. She’s been good this year and deserves some very nice loot. I’m really not sure what I’ll get. I don’t want much (for economic reasons). Stuff doesn’t interest me that much on my 43rd Christmas anyway. I’ll settle for the few gifts I’ve already been given:
- My family
- My health
- My talent
- The change forced upon me last month that is making me use that talent.
A few months ago, I wouldn’t have considered number four a gift. I would’ve actually considered it a curse delivered by a corporate Grinch. I’d rather have gotten an official ‘Christmas Story’ Leg Lamp or six-pair pack of socks. No, a few months ago, an iPad was on the top of my wish list. But I know that 20 years from now, I’ll look back and realize that this list of gifts (especially number four) will make this the best Christmas ever. Because an iPad will be in a landfill. Family and the gifts brought by change and my talent will last a lifetime.
Amen. Marshall. Too often people think that giving that perfect Christmas gift is found at the mall. it is really found within what you give of yourself. these past couple of Christmases and again this year, my gift to my brothers and sisters has been something I’ve put together myself, like a book of the stories I’ve written about grandmom and granddad. This year I’m giving them some of my art that I’ve done about our grandparents. Memories. They are what we cherish and what will live on in our hearts.