What Do I Really Want for Christmas?

What Do You Really Want for Christmas?

Though I doubt it was intended, this Gizmodo contest got my mind wandering down an old path. What do I really want for Christmas? Now, in keeping with the intent of the contest I started to think about things like a larger wide-screened iPhone on a different carrier. And yes, I want that but I find it doesn’t really come close to what I REALLY want for Christmas.

When asked what I want for Christmas, I always think of my childhood, which is longer ago than I really want to lay claim to, but what I always remember is the toys.

What I really want for Christmas is toys.

The problem is that the toys I like now are way too expensive. They require lots of planning before the purchase and that sort of destroys the idea.

Several years ago, my wonderful wife found a way. She made me a robe. It was a tremendous robe. It was heavy, thick terry cloth. It was like wrapping yourself in an enormous towel. I wore it until it literally fell apart.

But, as great a gift as the robe was, my wife took it an extra step. After putting the robe on I reached into the pockets and found something. I pulled out several tiny die cast metal airplanes.

I am not sure that I can adequately describe how it made me feel. Even now, as I write this I am tearing up. It was as if I was suddenly ten years old again. I still have some of them. A few got into my son’s hands and did not fare too well, but even that was okay because he got as much fun out of them as I would have at that age.

So, what do I really want for Christmas?

I want to be ten years old again, with a pile of Matchbox and Hot Wheels and Legos under the tree, and to be on vacation from school without a single bill to pay and or deadline to worry about. Even just for one day.

That would be my perfect Christmas gift.