I hope there are no stockings with lumps of coal to report this morning; just lots of sparkly jewelry, good friends and delicious food all day long.
They say Christmas is for children, and that may be the case. The best memories of Christmas are usually from our childhood. Speaking of gifts, I would have to say my favorite childhood gift was the time my grandparents drove from Ohio to Michigan to surprise my brother and sister and me on Christmas. They brought brand new bikes for us, too, and I can't remember what they looked like. But the memory of my grandparents, the happiness and love has stayed with me for over 40 years.
I put out the call for favorite Christmas gifts. Many of you responded with wonderful stories to share, and I thank you. Here are a few of your responses.
• "In reality, every Christmas at my house was special. All seven (yep, seven) kids would sit at the top of the stairs until Dad went down to make sure Santa had come. Then it was a mad dash to see who got what. Of course, every pile held exactly the same number of gifts, and were usually the same size. Santa couldn't play favorites!"
— Kathy Colley, deputy mayor of Rio Rancho
• "When I was 34, I received a blue-denim shirt from a former girlfriend. The message was that despite how our relationship ended, she wanted a part of her image/persona to stay with me. I still have the shirt. Still fits, too."
— Ray W.
• "My own favorite was the year Joel and I spent weeks working on a gift for the boys. They were about 3 and 4, and we thought they might like a play tent ... We got carried away, and I ended up cutting out a huge circle of canvas, Joel stripped some 8-foot spruce poles, we had special grommets and stitching put on the front and voilá — an authentic miniature Sioux teepee that we still have and put up at times! It was a huge hit, and they spent many an hour playing 'buffalo hunt' and having sleep-outs."
— Tris C.
• "My favorite holiday gift that I will never forget was getting something called "Fighter Jet." I must have been about 8 years old and got this item, which resembled a fighter jet cockpit. Brings back happy memories of my parents."
— Richard B.
• "I'd have to say my favorite gift would be either my Daisy Red Rider BB gun when I was 6 (didn't shoot my eye out!) or my Sting-Ray bike with banana seat and racing slick rear tire when I was 8. How can a boy ask for anything better at those ages? If you were to ask (my) best gift as an adult, it would have to be sheepskin slippers that I get every year. Judy calls them elf slippers because they cover my ankles."
— Steve Shaw, Rio Rancho City Councilman, District 4.
I hope you receive the present you wanted most this year. Merry Christmas.
Quote of the Week: "The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other" — Burton Hills
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