THE TWO VERY BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENTS I EVER GOT

            The two very best Christmas presents I ever got were my two children. Yes, they both came a few days before Christmas. My  children are adopted so here's the story.

             We had decided to adopt children. We came out of the arctic for one year while we were looking for a transfer. We decided to make and application for adoption here. They  told us that it might be two years before we would be placed. So the application is long and detailed. There are also interviews and home inspections. A number of references are required and then you wait. We took them seriously that it could be two years.

           Well surprise, surprise. They phoned a few days before Christmas to tell us they had a six week old boy for us and could we come up the next day and pick him up.

          Well, there was no way this would work. We did not have one piece of stuff for a baby: no crib, no clothes, no food, no diapers. We had nothing for a new baby. The micro manager is quick ion her feet and asked for more time. She also phoned in her resignation. So the next day she shopped until she dropped and got everything she needed for a new baby.

        We went to Edmonton and  arrived at the appointed time. Again, more interviews. Did we really want a child? So finally the little beaner was brought out  for us to see. He was beautiful. We were left alone and asked to discuss the issue. There was  really no discussion to be had. So after a few hours we were proudly on our way home

         So exactly  two years later we get the same call just a few days before Christmas. There were fewer questions this time. We were still asked if we wanted this child. We were asked to discuss it with each other. We were given the child to hold. Who could resist this five week old little girl? Meanwhile our son was completely ignoring the issue. He found some toys to play with. He had no idea what was going on. So  a couple of hours later we were on our way home  with our new daughter.

       So that ended our association with the Arctic. Fifty six and fifty four years later I can still look back at those two wonderful Christmas presents.

      So  every Christmas  I think of the wonderful Christmas presents and how long they have lasted.

SOMEBODY STOLE MY CHRISTMAS PRESENT!

       We have always exchanged some small items at Christmas time with some of the neighbors. Usually it's some baking or at least that's what we did. This year, I finally persuaded the Micro Manager to quit baking. However, we did find something for the neighbors beside us.

     I took it to them this morning. During the chit chat at the door , Darcie asked me if I got her bag of goodies. A question like that made me nervous. Whoa! Did she give me something and I forgot about it . However , my answer to her was no. Darcie knew that something was wrong as I hadn't thanked her.

    So, what happened?

     Darcie had hung the bag on the mail box. So we think the mailman took it. So the mail man must think I'm a good guy and it didn't cost me a dime . Or we have an elderly slightly handicapped paper boy. Ron may have taken it. In this case Ron would think I'm a good guy. 

     Now there are very few kids or homeless in the neighborhood so we scratched that off as a culprit. 

    I suspicion that Darcie didn't have a tag on this bag as to who it was for.

    It was funny when we thought that the wrong person had taken the little gift. 

GRANDPA'S CHRISTMAS PRESENT.

       Since I'm on the topic of Christmas presents and traditions, here's one more. 

       My paternal Grandfather lived in the small village 5 miles from our farm. We liked our Grandpa. There were times that he stayed at our place. 

My paternal grandparents about 1947

       Grandma had died recently so we had a Christmas present for Grandpa. The  three of us four to seven year olds ran up to his house to give him his present. We expected that he would put his present some place and open it at Christmas. No! What did he do? He opened the present right in front of us! We were appalled and went home and told our mother as she had knitted him a pair of wool mitts. 

      So that was Grandpa's tradition for Christmas presents. 

     Grandpa was a Central European peasant. His family were farmers in the Ukraine. They came to Canada in the early 1900's as there was not any more land for them in Europe. They came to Canada in the early 1900's and homesteaded in Saskatchewan. Their traditional Christmas was only religious.

      There are many unique ways to mark Christmas. 

      Do you have some unique traditions?

PRESENTS UNDER THE TREE

       Piling up presents under the Christmas tree is about a Christmas as it gets. However, there's a very dumb aspect to putting things under the tree. I'll get to that. 

       Only occasionally did we have a tree. There were few trees on the prairie and no spruce trees. Paying for a Christmas tree was out of reach. However in the late 40's after the war we did get Christmas trees.

       I grew up in the 40's along with two brothers and a sister. The family was always hard up. If we got a present from Mom and Dad , it would be for the four of us. One year we got a tricycle. Another year we got a dog. Our maternal grandparents gave us individual gifts like a pair of mitts grandma would knit. One year we got pocket watches but they were second hand. Probably something Grandpa had. I remember my watch fell apart right after Christmas and I bawled. 

    Now the few presents we got were put under the tree for decoration. Well you can guess what we did. The  gifts were shaken, squeezed, listened to until the wrapping was pretty well worn away. 

    Now it's getting close to that time of the season where the tree is bought and decorated. and soon gifts will be appearing under the tree. 

     What were our parents thinking when they stashed the gifts under the tree with four little kids in the house. That was kind of dumb!

     Well, guess what? When I had little kids, what did I do? I put the gifts under the tree!