Barbie Dream House and Tuesday Taylor who's head rotated to turn her from a blonde to a brunette.

to my siblings kids…one boy one girl each, so four kids all about the same age, probably about 5-8.

it was wonderful. a really traditional family gathering, all of us together, what joy. what joy…

i gave each of them the exact same thing…a metal megaphone thing that could be attached to their bicycles OR handheld, with a microphone AND 5 or 6 different —SIREN— settings!!! AND extra spare batteries!

my siblings were SO grateful…i got SEVERAL “THANK YOU RET5HD” comments…my eyes still tear up at the thought of that Christmas!

I was eight or nine.

but NOTHING ELSE??? I was a middle child of six, and everyone else got toys, books, typical Christmas stuff.

...we gave both of them a subscription to a service called Sock Fancy. Once a month, they would receive a pair of socks in fanciful patterns and colors. They enjoyed it. Our older son commented that, "You know you're growing up when you're happy to get socks for Christmas. If you were 8, you'd cry."

parents. It was really high quality and I loved wearing it in the winter. When I outgrew it my oldest sister took it and I believe she still has it to this very day! Not sure if she still wears it.

A Sears special. It was made by Epiphone.

I could probably retire on what it is worth now. I wish I had kept it.

was an ex-girlfriend subscribing to CSPAN and cable for me because I was at her place at least half of the time.

It was from around 2001-2003 (when we were together). I would get up early and turn on Washington Journal when I was home but couldn't watch at her place since she didn't have it.

She had wrapped up the remote controls for me to use. She was definitely a progressive but not a junkie like I am. It meant a lot to me.

My mother paid for it with a settlement from a car accident.

She was really generous.

She was a great Mom. I find myself thinking of her a lot now that my own life is winding down, her selfless profound love.

(I married a woman of the same nature.)

My mom let me "borrow" that guitar before Christmas to play at a concert at the high school. I felt like a star with that thing on stage in front of my friends although truth be told, I sucked as a guitarist in high school. That thing made me better though, since it was such a pleasure to play.

My depression era kid Mom had never had a jewelry box before. I didn't know she'd always wanted one. She unwrapped it and started to sofly cry, with the best smile on her face.
That bike was red, it had training wheels that didn't stay on long, and I practically lived on it! When I outgrew it, my folks got me another bike but I never loved it or any other bike as much as that first one.