I know this post seems a little late – but it really isn’t. Because, obviously when you open presents on Christmas morning you think – Hey! This is Cool! I could really use this!
But then a few months later you find that same present in a bag in the back of your car and you think – hmmm, why haven’t I found a place for this? I’ll tell you why. Not because you didn’t like it – or because it wasn’t thoughtful – but probably for the mere fact that you didn’t need it. At Christmas we are required to give people stuff they don’t need. I’m not going to rant about the commercialization of Christmas – because Christmas is different for everyone and who am I to tell the atheist down the street that their decorations are tacky. Maybe it makes them happy. And I like the idea of atheists spending time and money on Christmas decorations. It makes me laugh. Some might disagree.
But I will say that it made me immensely happy when my six year old cousin told me on Christmas eve what she wanted from Santa. Kathleen’s list – Three things:
1. Skateboard
2. Hermit Crab
3. Arrowhead collection
I smiled and told her that I was glad that the evil commercialized world had not infiltrated the low country of South Carolina yet. Just then our next door neighbor came barging through the door with a full Santa costume on and candy bars in his red bag. Kathleen said – that isn’t the real Santa. The real Santa is busy today. I told her maybe it was one of Santa’s elves. She shook her head. No, they are busy too. It is probably just a neighbor.
Having children around is fun.
Back to presents – I got a lot of great Christmas presents that I really like and enjoy and that I needed. My brother gave me an awesome coffee maker – and hey! I needed a coffee maker! It makes excellent coffee. Briscoe and I have been getting back into the routine of waking up at 7:15 with the help of the useful Christmas present.
My parents gave me a sparkly time piece for my wrist. It is a combination law school graduation present/birthday/Christmas what ev and I LOVE it. I haven’t worn a watch in months, so I still have to remember to look it when I want to know the time – but I like the reflections of sunlight it throws all over the ceiling of my car when I’m driving.
One of the most surprising and thoughtful gifts I received came from a boy who helped make the summer of 2004 one of the most fabulous summers of my life. He lives far away – but we chat on occasion and he knows that I love Luna bars. And on December 26th – I received a box from far away city UPS store that contained this –
It is a pocketbook made out of Luna Bar wrappers – and every time you buy one they plant a tree! How hippy is that! I love it. The note said he saw it and thought of me and knew I would like it. Those are the best kind of gifts. Also because those kinds of gifts don’t happen every day. And all gifts are awesome, it really is the fact that someone thought enough of you to take the time. But sometimes those special gifts really make you smile.
the thin line between optimism and delusion... 
That pocketbook is the coolest thing I’ve seen in a LONG time. I must have one.
My favorite gift this year was the same kind of thing – an ex bought me a book of reviews on whiskey/scotch distilleries all over the world, because he had read it and thought I needed to have my own copy. Nice to have people who know you, isn’t it? 🙂