Front Porch Stories: The Greatest Christmas Gift
By KATHY BOHANNON, Special to The Coweta Shopper
Christmas: 1968 … I was ten years old, and obsessed with the Sears Wish Book. Nearly every page held promise of something wonderful being delivered by Santa. Though we didn’t have a chimney, mom assured us he could get into the house by the front door.
On my list were probably a bicycle, transistor radio and most likely, an Easy Bake Oven. I say most likely because I had an Easy Bake Oven for a few years and it came at Christmas time, probably when I was ten. A 100-watt lightbulb, hot enough to turn batter into a nearly-rubber brownie was in easy reach, but my friends and I knew better than to touch it.
Eventually, the gift under our tree was a purple bicycle with high handlebars, banana seat and a little basket in front. That was a great Christmas, and I couldn’t wait to go outside and ride my new bike. As I grew out of that style, I asked for a ten speed. It really, really needed to be the racing bike style with curled handlebars. That’s what all my friends had and I was sure I would get it for Christmas. But Santa missed the mark that particular year, and delivered instead, something that looked like a beach cruiser complete with a dreadfully huge basket in front. Dad assured me it was better than a ten speed because it had twelve whole speeds, but I was beyond disappointed. The mature me knows that “Santa” meant well, by the spoiled pre-teen in me didn’t want to be seen riding that thing.
The transistor radio was a huge success, even more so when it was upgraded to receive FM signal. The problem with transistor radios was the metal antenna that, once broken, rendered the entire thing useless. It was a disaster to have broken the antenna because we had to wait all the way until Christmas to get a new radio.
I wasn’t the Barbie doll, pretend makeup kind of girl, so I didn’t ask for those kinds of gifts. I hung out every day with my brother and his friends because girls were few and far between in our neighborhood. We played with plastic army men, rode our bikes and admired the brave kids who could skateboard down our steep street and not die. We drew on the street with rocks that left chalk marks, and we would often draw Frankenstein, his head up near the Smith’s house, his feet three houses down in front of our driveway. We moved whenever a car came, and went straight back to our art project as soon as they passed by.
I think I was maybe eleven when we got mini bikes and soon after, dirt bikes. That was the epitome of fun, and I stuck with those until I was old enough to drive a car.
Christmas is right around the corner. I’m retired and my kids are grown. The GrandLittles are easy to shop for, as long as we give tech gifts or gift cards. Today’s version of Christmas might be quiet for us, but it’s perfect because I know the true meaning, the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ.
Luke 2:1-20 explains how the greatest gift was given, and it was given for every one of us.
Kathy Bohannon is a freelance writer, Christian humorist and inspirational speaker. She can be reached at [email protected].
