My favorite Christmas present

I saw a meme over at Michelle's and it got me thinking. One of the questions was: what was your favorite Christmas gift?

Picture it. Danvers, Massachusetts. 1983. I was 8 years old and for whatever reason, I wanted a white mouse really badly. I opened a number of presents that year. One was a collar, another was a leash. Although I actually was a bright child, in this case I didn't put two and two together. I still thought I was getting a white mouse, and I asked if the collar/leash was "an adjustable belt." Go ahead and laugh.

Anyway, eventually I went out to the family room to plunder my stocking. I opened the door and suddenly there was this moving furry mass! I screamed. I closed the door. Then I opened it again and peered in. I saw a small, "brindle" Cairn terrier. That's the word breeders used to describe her brownish-golden, blond-in-summer, dark-in-winter fur. She had pointed ears and beady eyes. All she wanted to do was play. We'd give her squeaky toys and she'd rip out the center and eat it.

She was with us from 1983 to 2001. Rest in peace, Pepper.

Comments

Lisa said…
Gosh. I'm trying to remember some of my Christmas gifts. While my grandmother was still alive---and before her arthritis became severe---she would knit us afghans, many of which I still have and treasure. A gift that stands out for me is from about three years ago---I was getting ready to go overseas for my volunteer work and was at a point personally and financially where I had just about every material object I could need or want. So I told my parents that I didn't want any gifts for Christmas---I wanted them to make a donation to charity instead. Well, this actually caused a big fight and they did get me a few gifts. But my "big" gift that year was a large box of children's books that my parents had bought to donate in my name to the local elementary school.
Bearette said…
That's sweet!
jules said…
oh, so sweet! Rest in peace Pepper! I have a necklace a friend gave me that has charms that hang that say "True" and "Friend" .. that was my fav for a long time .. but I say WAS. The friendship has changed ...
bdogg_mcgee said…
What a great gift--I bet she was one happy dog!

My favorite Christmas gift was my complete set of "Little House" books. I was about 8 or 9, and was so excited.
Anonymous said…
Betty was actually a Christmas gift, though we got her the day after my birthday. I had been wanting a dog for months and Alex wasn't certain (he'd never lived with one of course.) So I walked dogs at the BARK shelter for weeks and just pined away.
Then on Christmas alex got me a little stuffed animal puppy which was meant to say let's get a dog. We decided to go doggie hunting that March when the stars were good. To this day, Christmas-Chanukah is Betty's favorite holiday. She likes to open presents. (www.bettydog.com) - please excuse for the shameless plug :-)
Bearette said…
Jules - I know what you mean...about the friendship. It's hard when that happens.

Bdogg - I'd like a complete set of Little House ;) I think I read them all piecemeal, so each one was from a different edition. Some had yellow spines, some blue.

Tara -BARK shelter...Brooklyn Animal Rescue K___? Cute name.

I like the pictures of Betty rolling in the snow!
Lish said…
Aww! That was sweet and sad. I still miss my dog Beth, and she was gone along time ago. I'm not sure what my favorite present was. I'll have to get back to you. Merry Christmas.
Anonymous said…
Whoops! You caught me. It's BARC
(Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition)
:o)
Caro said…
I can't remember my favorite gift. I do remember one year there was a huge stuffed pink pig under the tree. I finally threw it out about three years ago.
Kim said…
Aw, what an adorable story!

I have no idea what my favorite Christmas gift was. Maybe that means it's still to come. :o)

Happy Holiday's!
Lora said…
What a great present!

Merry Christmas!
Yngwie J Malmsteen's Rising Force's Marching Out. My favorite Christmas gift ever. Learned half the riffs on it and the entire song of "I Am A Viking."

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