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| Just a few of my very favorites. |
I know, I know, Christmas has become over-commercialized and more about how much we're spending rather than the thought behind the presents. Maybe that's true for some, but for me, Christmas is so much more. It's memories and books... both of which have lasted a lifetime.
My parents were dirt poor when I was growing up and throughout the year, we didn't get much in the way of things we wanted, though they always made sure we had clothes, shoes, food, and decent place to live. For birthdays we usually got one thing we asked for (within reason) but Christmas... man, Christmas was always the best. And not just because of the gifts. Like any struggling couple trying to work to support three kids, my parents spent 364 days a year completely stressed out. My dad traveled a lot for his job, leaving my mom to work sometimes two jobs, while going to school for what would later become a lifelong career in the medical field, as well as doing the best she could with what little time she had raising her babies. If you have kids, you know it's a never ending laundry list of things to do, both literally and figuratively. We never had to worry about having clean clothes, or a clean place to live. My mom handled her business like a superhero, and looking back, I can easily say I don't remember thinking we were as poor as what I now know we were. The reason for that was mainly because of our Christmases. Christmas was a big deal in our house growing up and it still is. It was the one day that neither of our parents let outside influences intrude on "our" day. For that one brief space in time every single little thing was right in our house and while it was always filled with love daily, it was just a little more full on that particular one. No matter what, my parents did whatever they could to make our wishlists a reality and that added a little bit more magic to the holiday because, especially later on, we knew how much they sacrificed for that Mr. Microphone, or that 10-speed bicycle, or that .22 rifle. And maybe because we didn't get anything during the course of the year that wasn't a necessity, we appreciated those gifts more than most kids in privileged households did. I'm not sure, but I know we were and still are grateful for the gifts that my parents are... not just for the gifts they give us.
I always looked forward to opening presents and I always loved everything they gave me, but out of it all, the most memorable gifts for me growing up were books.
They always supported my love of reading and every year I could pretty much count on a beautiful new book under the tree or in my stocking. Those books, most I still have to this day, would be read and re-read countless times over the years and are just as much treasures today as they were when I received my first one in third grade.
In this day and age, most kids aren't interested in material, tangible books, if they're interested in reading at all. Electronic devices have taken over where once every home had at least a few shelves of books in it, if nothing more than encyclopedias and a dictionary. I'm guilty as well, I tend to read more now on my Kindle or my phone than actually picking up a physical book, because well, it's more convenient than lugging around a few solid paperbacks on a road trip like I did before the days of E-Readers and smart-phones. It's a convenience I'm trying to see my way out of as I look at the three fully stocked book shelves in my home and realize I haven't touched them except for reference here or there in a shamefully long time. Books have been replaced by E-Readers and gift cards for those devices. And while I'm not complaining because my books are available through those methods as well and I really don't care how you read as long as you DO read, I miss unwrapping the latest best-seller, or being introduced to a new author because someone was browsing the local store looking for just the perfect book for me and made a thoughtful selection.
Toys get broken shortly after being played with a few times, but a book, even if you don't immediately pick it up, will be there on the day that an ice or snow storm knocks out the power and the batteries in the tablets, phones and readers go dead. Or when as what happened in the case of my first E-Reader, it wipes out and won't turn on. Books don't need batteries or charger cords and you don't have to worry about fighting for a place to plug them in on a long trip. Sure, they take up space, but that smell when you crack one open can't be competed with. Neither can the inspiration to the imagination. I think that's part of the problem with today's youth. They're spending time in the minds of others who created the apps and the games they constantly play, rather than exercising their brains to visualize the scene an author lays out. There's no inspiration, there's very little creativity because a screen does all the work for them and it's sad. It's sad that they're missing out on the excitement a great writer can bring with nothing more than a beautifully written story. Some of the best adventures I've ever taken were journeys of my imagination created by nothing more than words on a page.
If you're wondering what to get that person who is hard to buy for or a gift that will be memorable for a child, consider giving them the gift of reading.
Here's a few suggestions to get you started:
For kids:Agnes the Average Unicorn, by Jason Appling, Illustrated by Karen S. Campbell
How to Scare a Monster, by Kimberly Walker
For Teens: Wildwood (The Hightower Trilogy, Volume 1), by Jadie Jones
For the Romance Enthusiast: Bimini the Romance, by Lori Ann Robinson
Bimini: Blood on the Sand, by Lori Ann Robinson
Diesel, by Lori Ann Robinson
Texan, by Lori Ann Robinson
As always, thanks for reading and Merry Christmas!
You can follow me on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/caribbeandreaming/
Twitter: @LucyMagilicutt2
Amazon: Lori Ann Robinson
