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sendero

(28,552 posts)

28. Heartwarming story follows...

Thu Dec 12, 2013, 10:55 AM

Dec 2013

.... I grew up in a, well, economically deprived family. My father worked and was by no means a bum, but bad luck and setbacks kept us poor.

Christmas at our house was generally not a big deal, we just couldn't afford fancy gifts.

When I was 11 I had an accident that required the care of a surgeon. On a followup visit he asked me what I wanted for Christmas. A rattled off every cool thing I had seen on TV I considered it idle chatter and forgot all about it. This was in a late November.

To my surprise (and the surprise of my siblings) he bought just about every one of those toys for us for Christmas. It was an act of kindness and generosity I will never forget.

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Highlight:

What was a memorable thing Santa brought you as a kid? [View all] cyberswede Dec 2013 OP

Christmas '68 I was 5, and my oldest brother was on leave from the army via Germany- MerryBlooms Dec 2013 #1

That's a great memory! cyberswede Dec 2013 #4

Nice MerryBlooms Dec 2013 #5

Tin Can Alley Rambis Dec 2013 #2

Well, that's cool. cyberswede Dec 2013 #3

No that would have dented the cans-It was a light gun Rambis Dec 2013 #7

Chatty Cathy. She scared the bejeebers out of me. nolabear Dec 2013 #6

Gah - that was a scary episode! cyberswede Dec 2013 #8

Dolls ... Arugula Latte Dec 2013 #34

Hah! pipi_k Dec 2013 #19

Topper Operation X500 missile base Adsos Letter Dec 2013 #9

Is this you? cyberswede Dec 2013 #10

LOL! Yeah, pretty much, but with a buzz cut. Who here remembers Butch Wax? Adsos Letter Dec 2013 #12

Tog'ls geardaddy Dec 2013 #11

I'm not familiar with those... cyberswede Dec 2013 #13

I think Lego is actually older. geardaddy Dec 2013 #14

When I was seven I wanted a US Army bugle (must have been those old cavalry movies) panader0 Dec 2013 #15

Did your Grampa play the bugle? cyberswede Dec 2013 #16

It was the first year that I got something truly different than my twin MissMillie Dec 2013 #17

That's awesome! cyberswede Dec 2013 #18

Atari 2600 hibbing Dec 2013 #20

It's fun to get stuff with which you can waste time! cyberswede Dec 2013 #36

Superman under panties! B Calm Dec 2013 #21

Fun! cyberswede Dec 2013 #38

I really believed Santa brought this: In_The_Wind Dec 2013 #22

That train sounds cool! cyberswede Dec 2013 #39

Several things not all at the same time NV Whino Dec 2013 #23

I guess you're not average! cyberswede Dec 2013 #40

Oh yeah... NV Whino Dec 2013 #67

A microscope. I loved it. BlueJazz Dec 2013 #24

Did it come with slides? cyberswede Dec 2013 #41

It came with everything but I preferred to get my own stuff like hair, phonograph needle, grass.. BlueJazz Dec 2013 #44

Nothing. I'm Jewish, and thought the Santa stuff was silly. HERVEPA Dec 2013 #25

I don't know much about Hannukah, but... cyberswede Dec 2013 #42

Well, lighting the candles and singing was nice HERVEPA Dec 2013 #58

A VROOOM! Tricycle. I was about 3 and could read my name. cherokeeprogressive Dec 2013 #26

Great story! cyberswede Dec 2013 #43

There are many pictures and 8mm movies of me having a blast on it. cherokeeprogressive Dec 2013 #47

I was only 3 years old Corgigal Dec 2013 #27

Whoa - that thing is cool! cyberswede Dec 2013 #45

Hell NO Corgigal Dec 2013 #68

Heartwarming story follows... sendero Dec 2013 #28

That's a great story! cyberswede Dec 2013 #46

My first telescope. :P Dash87 Dec 2013 #29

Your first? cyberswede Dec 2013 #48

It wasn't very good, but of course I thought it was the best thing ever. Dash87 Dec 2013 #59

Best stuff ever for me -- HappyMe Dec 2013 #30

Those are all awesome things... cyberswede Dec 2013 #49

After a while my mom wasn't happy with the chemistry set. HappyMe Dec 2013 #62

The Christmas when I was 10, LWolf Dec 2013 #31

That's fantastic! cyberswede Dec 2013 #50

Still do. LWolf Dec 2013 #57

I guess it was this Art_from_Ark Dec 2013 #32

Those are cool... cyberswede Dec 2013 #35

They did look like they were made of rock Art_from_Ark Dec 2013 #52

I thought they were plastic... cyberswede Dec 2013 #54

I don't think I ever played with them in the tub Art_from_Ark Dec 2013 #55

I got copies of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn the year I was 9.... Rowdyboy Dec 2013 #33

True classics! cyberswede Dec 2013 #51

Thank God I read the books long before I ever saw that movie! Rowdyboy Dec 2013 #66

I used to get Nancy Drew books. HappyMe Dec 2013 #60

I loved Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and Trixie Belden and the Bobwhites of the Glenn.... Rowdyboy Dec 2013 #65

My brother used to regift as a kid. I once got a used spirograft set from him complete applegrove Dec 2013 #37

That's a fun story! cyberswede Dec 2013 #53

Yes. He was about 11 and I was 8. I don't think I used the set once. But the story is great. applegrove Dec 2013 #56

I loved my spirograph set. HappyMe Dec 2013 #61

Ok-Here's my Christams toy story... Boxerfan Dec 2013 #63

The Mattel Intellivision NewJeffCT Dec 2013 #64

My Smokey, the Bear. Looked like this. I still have him, minus the hat and sinkingfeeling Dec 2013 #69