December 14th - Childhood Christmas Memory

One memory that always sticks out in my mind is when we lived in Germany with my parents (the "we" would be me and my two brothers - or is that - my two brothers and I?!).  It was not unusual for us to host several of my father's "buddies", those who didn't have any family they could share the holidays with.

The Christmas memory I am sharing is when I was around 12 years old.  Before the holidays, my parents asked us for our Christmas wish list, reminding us that we would not get everything on that list!  My list was pretty simple:

Barbara's Christmas Wish List

A New Bicycle!

 A New Pair of Skates!

I was assurred I would NOT get BOTH of these "large ticket" items; well, the bicycle would be quite pricey.  So, the request was there; so...

What would I get for Christmas?

Well, as kids are known to do once the gifts are wrapped and placed under the tree...

I found a box about the right shape to hold a pair of roller skates!  

It was heavy enough for it to be skates, too!

So, I accepted the fact that I DID get a new pair of skates; but would NOT get a new bike!

Christmas morning came and we gathered in the living room to open our presents.  Sure enough, there were my skates (I am sure we had a few other little things to open, too!  But the main ones I remember are the bicycle and the skates).

A couple of my father's friends had joined us for Christmas and dinner.  After all the gifts were opened, my mother sent me into the dining room to get a cup of coffee for one of our guests.

Rounding the corner, into the dining room...

I spotted it leaning against the wall...

"Whose bike..." I started to say before realizing it was...

a girls bike...

and MUST be MINE!! 

I looked around to see the smiles on my parent's faces - how hard they had worked to buy BOTH of the gifts I had requested - 

and to keep the bike hidden!!

Actually, I have had many very happy and fulfilling Christmases - but this one memory stays with me; reminding me of the blessings my parents were to me and my brothers.

I rode this bicycle for many wonderful "play days", sometimes pulling my friends along behind me on their skates; or they pulled me.  THOSE WERE THE DAYS!

Linking up for Blogmas 2014