Christmases past and present

My brother in Nebraska and I both have these new cell phones. I've been texting for a good while, and my brother is new to texting. This Christmas morning we texted back and forth for a while and then we called and just visited. We talked about his weather and odds and ends and finally talked about the Christmases that we remembered when we were kids.

I asked Mick what gifts he remembered from when we were little. After some discussion Mick said that most Christmases he got the same as I got. Normally where I was two years older I asked for a gift and he got the same. He sounded OK with that but with reservations. One year I asked for a new three-speed bicycle. But Mick had a traditional bicycle that he really loved. So what Mom and Dad did was buy me a three-speed bicycle and Mick a new traditional bicycle and then sold his old bicycle. So at Christmas he ended up with a bicycle he didn't want and lost the old bicycle that he loved, while I got what I wanted. Since it was right at 55-60 years ago he didn't really seem that upset.

One year I must have wanted boxing gloves because Mick and I got boxing gloves. And even to this day I wonder why they got us boxing gloves! I wondered if we had tried them out and Mick said we had, so we must have bloodied up each other's noses a little bit. But what I remember about the gloves is that our two brothers-in-law, Duane and Don, tried them out with gusto. They had it out on the porch where Dad used to hang meat when he butchered. At that time I thought it looked a lot too violent to enjoy. Don't know who won if one of them did.

One Christmas I got a brand new fire truck with a ladder that raised up and you could crank up the ladder to extend it. I got the firetruck at our school Christmas party, so I must have been in school. Mick has a picture of me with Dad and my new firetruck. I'm betting maybe even Kindergarten. I kept that old firetruck until Marge and I got married and if memory is correct our boys wore it out. To this day I wonder if it was a Tonka truck.

I asked Mick what gift meant the most to him that he got at Christmas from Mom and Dad. I was surprised but at the same time I wasn't. Mick said that Mom and Dad bought us Bibles for Christmas. Mick said that Bible was precious to him. Made me glad but sad. The Bible meant a lot to him, but honestly I can't even remember getting a Bible from Mom and Dad. There is nothing in my memory bank whatsoever regarding Bibles. Back then Mick was into Church more than I was. I was into hunting and fishing and trapping and horses. I can't remember wanting a vehicle. My friends wanted a new car but not me. I can remember wanting a new gun or a new fishing rod or a saddle or a horse. I wish now that the Bible had meant more to me than it did. A simple gift given with love probably had a profound impact on my brother's life.

The simplest of gifts might mean the most to someone. What if you kind of have an urge to bake some bread for a dear friend and drop it off? Or some cookies? What about that old friend you haven't heard from for boo koo years? Or maybe just call an old friend and tell them it's good to hear their voice. Tell them you don't want one single thing. You just called to say hello!

Gifts where we give ourselves are the most meaningful gifts, gifts that cost you that have nothing to do with silver or gold!