Christmas Presents I Remember ...

Christmas is a funny time of year for me ... on one level I enjoy the pomp and pageantry of the season, I revelle in the telling of the story of Jesus birth (I don't believe it as a literal truth - but I value it as a Myth in the fullest sense of what that word means) ... but on another level I don't really like Christmas. It's too crass and commercial. There is too much emphasis on buying and eating and gathering with family and friends. I find the latter reminds me of what I have lost in chosing to enter the ministry ...

This year for the first time in 15 years I will be "home" in Ontario for Christmas with my cousins and family on my mom's side of the tree ... I'm not expecting it to be like it was - that thread is broken. But I'm looking forward to sharing my memories with my three children so they can add them, and this Christmas to their memories of Christmas ...

Today though, I got thinking about Christmas Presents I remember from my life ... In recent years, for a variety of reasons, the number of presents under the tree for me have been scarce, so most of my present memories stretch back to my youth and my childhood ...

I have always loved getting Lego sets for Christmas ... I remember getting a pair of socks, a chocolate bar and a five dollar bill from my Great-Auntie Marie every single Christmas ... I remember a card from another family friend that ALWAYS had a twenty dollar bill tucked inside ... I remember waiting for three years before Santa FINALLY brought me a Fort Knox Safe Coin Bank for Christmas ... I remember getting board games like Battleships for Christmas ... I remember getting very cool parcels full to bursting with toys from my Big Brother Bill when I was a Little - one year I even got Star Wars Action figures !! ... I remember getting a beautiful woolen sweater (that I still wear) from a dear friend - I responded badly and have regretted it ever since ... I remember my first Christmas with M, getting a beautiful soap stone carving of a walrus ... and I remember the joy on Noahkila's, Ms. H's, and Beetle's faces each Christmas as they opened the presents and parcels scattered under the tree for them each year ... It is such a beautiful moment - one of pure awe and wonder.

I miss the spontaneity of Christmas that came when we were children ... as adults too many things have pushed back the wonder and mystery and damped the joy ... There haven't been many Christmas presents that have caught my breath in recent years and filled me with awe.

One day perhaps the Joy will once again be abundant and real ... BUT, for now I will wait ... and remember with fondness the Christmas presents of the my past ...