I think my favorite childhood Christmas memory has to be the Christmas when I was two weeks away from turning 5. My whole extended family celebrated the start of the Christmas season each year by eating lunch under the giant Christmas tree at Marshall Field's Department Store in downtown Chicago. Afterwards, we would all go see Santa Claus.
This particular year, we walked through the toy department on our way to the "North Pole". Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a display case with a beautiful Sleeping Beauty doll. I rushed over to look at her. I still remember her long blond hair, sparkling tiara and golden dress with sequins. I'm not sure how much time passed, in reality it was probably only a minute, but all of a sudden I realized that my parents weren't there which of course led to major tears. Luckily the display case was right by the cash register. A very nice salesclerk paged my parents for me. By that point I think I was near hysteria. My parents came rushing over to get me and we went to go see Santa. However, I was so upset that I forgot to tell Santa about the beautiful doll I had seen. That led to more tears on the way home.
On Christmas morning I walked down the stairs and there under the tree with the light shining on her sequins was the Sleeping Beauty doll. This is my favorite memory because I remember thinking that Santa had magically read my mind. Even though I forgot to tell him about the doll, he just knew that I wanted her. We have pictures where you can see how truly surprised I am to see her there. I was so excited, but also very exhausted and thus decided that in addition to the doll that Santa Claus had given me, I also needed the dog's box of biscuits that Santa had brought him. There are pictures of me holding the doll in one hand and the box of dog biscuits in the other. The dog is practically sitting on top of me. It's funny that I remember that too: the beautiful doll, the giant box of Alpo dog biscuits and the ensuing nap that followed.Labels: Crazy Hip Blog Mama Questions, Toys / Clothes / Gear |
This seems like something I would read in a magazine. I love it.