Christmas Gifts #fridayflash #fridayfictioneers #100words

I love the sweet simplicity of  this week's photo prompt by Madison Woods. Here's the story it inspired:

Christmas Gifts

     Joey poked his head through the door. “Close your eyes.”

     “Oh, honey. Not now. I’m cooking.” I turned so he wouldn’t see I’d been crying.

     “Come on, Mom. I’ve got a surprise for you,” he pleaded.

     I shut my eyes. They burned beneath my lids.

     “Don’t open them until I say so.”

     “I won’t.”

     I heard him groan a bit, some rustling, the creak of the shutting door.

     “Almost done,” he said. “Okay, open your eyes.”

     A tiny tree. A smile beaming on Joey’s face.

     “Before Dad left, he said to be sure you had a Christmas tree.”

Christmas Treasures

It seems this year more than others, I hear a flurry of "bah-humbugs" from friends and family. And, I am no different. I'm not sure why--whether it's the economy, politics and the constant bickering we hear about on a day-to-day basis, the over-commercialization of Christmas that began the day after Halloween--whatever it is, it seems to have gotten to many of us this year.

In fact, I seriously considered passing on the Christmas decorations. If it weren't for the fact my children would be coming home, I might not have put a tree up. Thank goodness I did.

Every year, when I bring out my Christmas ornaments, I am filled with memories that make me smile. When my children were young, I gave them a Christmas ornament that symbolized something that occurred over the previous year. When they moved away, I packed up their ornaments in a big box and gave it to them.

I'll admit, the first couple of Christmases following, my tree felt a little empty. But Stephen and I have carried on that tradition, and now we have our own tree full of memories. And besides, I have to admit, I kept a couple of ornaments of my kids' childhoods. Not sure if they've noticed.

Here are some of my favorites:

I've had this Mr. and Mrs. Claus for almost thirty years. When I unwrap it each year, it always makes me smile as I recall Andrea and Adam gawking inside the cozy little house lit by a single twinkle light. I like to peek inside myself.

I've had this handmade ornament for even longer. A friend who I used to work with made it. There's something about miniature "little worlds" like the one captured in this ornament. Santa laughing in the snow. How could I not smile?

This is one of my very favorites, because Andrea made it for me and gave it to me when I learned to sail "Haiku." Handmade gifts are always the best, but I've always loved the thoughtfulness and creativity of this one.

And though this is a simple little ornament, "Baby Jesus" always goes at the top of the tree, right under the star. I keeps the real meaning in perspective for me, no matter how many bah-humbugs I say throughout the season.

When I stand back and look at our tree, I see that it represents the blessings in our life. How could I ever consider not putting it up each year?

What are your favorite ornaments, and what do they mean to you? I would love to see pictures. If you'll email them to me with a description of why they're your favorites, I'll add them to my blog. Send them to me at:

jymorrill(at)gmail.com   ---use @ for (at).

I hope your Christmas will be filled with lots of good memories and memories in the making, too!

Waiting for The Wish Book

Today I was Christmas shopping on the internet - so easy, so convenient, so fast. Yet, wonderful and efficient as this new technology makes gift-giving and wish list-making, I decided it lacks something.

I can't pinpoint what that something is, but today, shopping simply didn't have the same magic that shopping in the Sears Wish Book had. Is it a loss of the sensory pleasures? Maybe. Certainly tapping a few keys and clicking a button doesn't have the same feel as turning every page, listening to its crisp crackle and wondering what would be on the pages that followed. I'd fold down the corners of each page that had an item I wanted Santa Claus to bring that year, hoping somehow "Santa" would see it.

Then again, perhaps it's just a sentimental thing. There was such anticipation, even in waiting for the catalogs to arrive - a veritable fantasy world for a child.

Still, as I clicked and ordered today, I felt a thrill, hoping my loved one would like, whether I had chosen it from the paper page of a catalog or the screen of my computer. The anticipation of giving hasn't changed, thank goodness, even if technology has.

Happy shopping, happy giving and happy Christmas!