A couple of weeks ago, we in the newsroom wrote columns about Christmas. It could be about anything, from favorite memories to what we really think about snow and cold.
In the past, I've written about working retail during the holiday, giving to others in need through "Angel Trees"?and the like and how I'm stumped as to what I?want for Christmas.
BTW, I'm still stumped. But it's getting better.
There's a Christmas memory that I?brought up among co-workers after we completed this year's columns. Once I revealed the memory, they asked "why didn't you put that in?" Well, first of all, it didn't fit in with the topic I was writing about.
So here's the story...I was probably 7 years old. I was curious about one of my presents; don't really know why, but I?just was. So I?took our cat, Blackie, and tossed her against the wrapped gift. It tore a little hole in the paper, so I?could peek as to what was inside. I?could see something that looked like a map. I thought "I'm getting a map for Christmas? Why?" I think I?may have taped up the tear in the package and it stayed put until Christmas morning without any other altercations. When I opened the gift, I?realized it was a globe. Cool! Of course in the last 30+ years since I?got the globe, countries have changed dramatically. Some are new; others are no more. But I?think that globe is still at my parent's house.
It's already Dec. 10 and I don't have any presents for my family. Usually, I?try to be ahead of the game, but my parents and brother haven't given me any idea as to what to get them. I have toyed with the idea of getting my dad a couple of Ole and Lena books that he doesn't have. But I haven't gotten around to ordering them. Oh, now that I?think of it, my mother mentioned a sweater she wanted through Blair and that I would repay her. Hope it's available.
That just leaves my darling younger, 35-year-old brother (how did we get so old?). Last year I?got him a card for his Zune (yeah, he has a Zune). No matter how much I?bug him, he won't give me any concrete ideas as to what to get him. I've learned throughout the years not to get him CDs or DVDs as he may already have said CD or DVD or I totally miss the boat as to his tastes in movies (I did that one year).
It's just that I really do not like shopping during the holiday season. Crowded parking lots, places not having what I?want, or me just shopping without a clue is not my idea of a good time. And time is running out.
Fortunately (or unfortunately, depends on how you look at it), I?have an extension. Christmas weekend falls on the weekend I get to work (both layout and covering events). So I'll be heading out to both the Christmas Eve dinner at the Christ United Presbyterian Church and the community meal Christmas Day at Carlin Hall in Holy Redeemer. Somewhere in there, I'll fit in a church service. So I really don't have any idea as to when I'm going to get together with my family for the holiday. For all I?know, it may be February by the time that happens.