Pink, Poochie, Plaques, Peals of Laughter, and Pencils

December 24 Reverb Broads

Name your top 5 best holiday gifts given or received. Who gave it to you? Who were you giving it to? Why was it memorable?

Kassie at http://bravelyobey.blogspot.com/

The first thing I wanted to write about was my pink GUESS sweatshirt with the dogs on it*.  I can remember walking through the Janesville Mall with my mom.  We passed by a store that had some on display in the window and she asked me if that was the shirt I wanted.  I said yes and thought little more of it.    That Christmas, there it was, the sweatshirt I wanted, the one that I thought there was no chance I was ever going to get. My mom always was good about that sort of thing.

As much as I would like to deny it, I did go through a "girl-y" phase.  For what ever reason, I desperately wanted this  ---->.

A pink dog that stamped things when you pushed down on her sunglasses.  I think there was special pink paper.  And look, it's "For Girls." Ugg...I hope think I got over that pretty quick.



I'm not nearly so good at giving gifts.   There was the year I gave my dad a "World's Best Dad" (or something similar) plaque. I have no idea how old I was; I would have been old enough to be allowed to buy gifts by myself, but my age was still likely in the single digits. I gave a plaque to my mom that year, too.  Hers featured a woman with curly hair coming out of a cap, a mis-buttoned coat, and a host of other signs of not being put together.  Hers said "God knows I try."  Don't ask me what the thought process was.  I can only think I was trying to tell her that I knew she was always trying her hardest, even if she wasn't always successful.

Given my lack of gift-giving ability, it's a good thing that there is a certain predictability to gift giving with my family, especially with my dad.  For the most part all my brother and I need to do is buy some Fannie May Mint Meltaways and some cashews and we're golden.  This year was no different, up to and including my father throwing balls of wrapping paper at me.  Remember, it's always fun to make Amy scream.  That's the biggest gift I give my dad most years: squeals of disgust as he throws wrapping paper at me, puts his icy cold hands on my bare neck, throws more wrapping paper at me, or sneaks up behind me to poke me in the sides.  Of course, it all ends up laughter in the end.



But the best gift I've received in quite some time is one that my husband gave me this year.

Yep, my very own library kit. It even comes with a "genuine pencil." I can't want until I have my library.  Until then, my books will just stay in their boxes.












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*I spent quite a bit of time last night trying to find an image of this sweatshirt.  I was not able to find one. If you have one, please send it along.  I'd like to think that it actually exists.