Listening to a talk radio show this morning and they were asking listeners for their best and worst Christmas gift stories. It made me think about my gifts and one gift qualifies as both.
When I was about 6 or 7 years old we went to my Aunt's house for Christmas dinner. Just dinner no gifts exchanged. My Aunt was several years older than my Dad and her children were all grown.
The weather was bad outside and there were no toys in the house to play with. Football on TV which held no interest for me at that time.
Board to death I asked my Aunt if I could play with the hand carved, wooden Nativity set she had on the TV. The figures were about 3 inches tall and very life like carved. She laughed and said sure then got it down for me. I played with it all afternoon. The camel in the set really drew my attention.
When it was time to go home I put the Nativity set back on the TV but put the camel in my coat pocket and stole it. We had not been back home very long when my Aunt called to inquire about the missing camel. My Mother asked if I knew where it was and I told her no. She could tell right away that I was not telling the truth. She had me bring it to her and and scolded me severely.
Bright and early the next morning we drove to my Aunt's house to return it. I had to ring the doorbell and apologise for stealing it. I received another scolding from her. I remember both of the scoldings to this day and how ashamed that I was.
It was not a fun Christmas. This camel was a life lesson. It was the only thing that I ever stole after that.
Fast forward roughly 40 years to when my Aunt passed on. A few days after the funeral my cousin knocked on my door and handed me the very same camel from that Christmas.
She said that my Aunt had made it very clear that after she was gone I was to have the camel as she had saved it all of those years for me. I was reduced to tears in a heartbeat. My cousin joined me in tears and we hugged and I thanked her for bringing it to me.
I have the camel to this day, 50 plus years later and cherish it. It will mean nothing to anyone when I am gone but it means the world to me now. Thank you and God Bless you Aunt Wilma.
The best and worst Christmas gift I ever received. JA
When I was about 6 or 7 years old we went to my Aunt's house for Christmas dinner. Just dinner no gifts exchanged. My Aunt was several years older than my Dad and her children were all grown.
The weather was bad outside and there were no toys in the house to play with. Football on TV which held no interest for me at that time.
Board to death I asked my Aunt if I could play with the hand carved, wooden Nativity set she had on the TV. The figures were about 3 inches tall and very life like carved. She laughed and said sure then got it down for me. I played with it all afternoon. The camel in the set really drew my attention.
When it was time to go home I put the Nativity set back on the TV but put the camel in my coat pocket and stole it. We had not been back home very long when my Aunt called to inquire about the missing camel. My Mother asked if I knew where it was and I told her no. She could tell right away that I was not telling the truth. She had me bring it to her and and scolded me severely.
Bright and early the next morning we drove to my Aunt's house to return it. I had to ring the doorbell and apologise for stealing it. I received another scolding from her. I remember both of the scoldings to this day and how ashamed that I was.
It was not a fun Christmas. This camel was a life lesson. It was the only thing that I ever stole after that.
Fast forward roughly 40 years to when my Aunt passed on. A few days after the funeral my cousin knocked on my door and handed me the very same camel from that Christmas.
She said that my Aunt had made it very clear that after she was gone I was to have the camel as she had saved it all of those years for me. I was reduced to tears in a heartbeat. My cousin joined me in tears and we hugged and I thanked her for bringing it to me.
I have the camel to this day, 50 plus years later and cherish it. It will mean nothing to anyone when I am gone but it means the world to me now. Thank you and God Bless you Aunt Wilma.
The best and worst Christmas gift I ever received. JA
