At the end of A Christmas Story, our hero and (as an adult) narrator tells us that on the Christmas he remembers for us he got "The greatest Christmas gift I had ever received, or would ever receive."
Author Jean Shepherd's construction there has always touched me. Obviously he, as the adult "Ralphie," is still alive and still capable of receiving Christmas gifts. What if someone walked up to him next Christmas and handed him a million bucks in unmarked bills, no strings attached? Hey. that's a great gift, isn't it?
But we knew what he meant. To get something, an object that was truly his heart's desire, when everything and everyone around him said that he couldn't and even shouldn't get it, and to get it at an age where one can still be so excited about a simple toy, not tarnished with worries or fears, or concerned with what anyone will think about his taste or level of maturity or any of those other clouds that cover the sun when we get older, makes it a nonpareil, the perfect gift at the perfect time. Any gift that comes in adulthood cannot provide the unsullied, unbridled joy as that perfect gift at that young age. We believe that Ralphie will never get another gift so good, but that he's okay with that, and so are we.
I mentioned this to my wife, and as it turned out her most perfect Christmas gift ever was not something she received as a child, but she was still quite young. When she was a teenager there was a big Christmas dance coming up at school, and she sooooo wanted a particular makeup set so she could get dolled up. Not only did her mom come through, but she gave it to her weeks before Christmas so she could use it for the dance. This remains her #1 gift, her "official Red Ryder, carbine action, 200-shot, range model air rifle, with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time," in part because she never thought her mom would go for the idea. So while childlike thinking is clearly not crucial to the "perfect gift" idea, the improbability of getting what you want seems to be connected.
Of course, I had to point out that all the guys my wife wowed at the dance went on to loser careers as bowling-ball polish salesmen, not as exciting freelance wordsmiths, but that is another story.
So that's what I wonder today. No, not what happened to my wife's teenage beaus. My question is: Did you ever get the perfect gift at the perfect time? Was it something you really wanted or something you didn't know you wanted until you got it? Are you willing to talk about what it was and what became of it? This is a no-judgment zone.
All right, that's a lie; you know this blog is a super-plus-ultra judgey mcjudgeyface Judgment Zone. But not now, certainly not if it's something you got as a child or teen, because we don't judge kids here.
I have to think about it myself. My mom was into Christmas, and I got plenty of stuff I wanted -- spoiled even, at least on that one magic day. I'm sure if I'd ever wanted a BB gun, though, the answer would have been no way, but I wasn't interested. I was always excited to get any superhero or G.I. Joe merchandise, and I got a lot.
As for the best gift I ever got that I didn't want, I'll save that for another post.
So how about you? What did you get? Did you shoot your eye out? I sure hope not.
Every time I really, really, really wanted something particular, I was very soon disappointed and embarrassed to be disappointed. I have learned it is better to have no expectations, then anything can be appreciated for what it is rather than what I thought I wanted it to be.
ReplyDeleteThere were more than a few times when Mom & Dad got me a cut-rate, off-brand version of the thing I really wanted, but those were no big deal...close enough. BUT - as a 20-something adult they got me my first real computer, the VIC=20...& that was the biggie, the life-changer. That was a great Christmas.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear it, raf -- it's true that a resentment is an expectation that's been mugged. And Stiiv, you may be the oldest Ralphie I've heard yet, so to speak. Glad you didn't get the Tandy TRS-80 instead.
ReplyDeleteI did hear from one friend whose Major Matt Mason doll -- uh, action figure -- was THE thing he wanted. He still has it many moons later.
I got an Atari 2600 when I was eight or nine. Pure joy.
ReplyDeleteNow that's more like it! Thanks, Tanthalas. My group of friends spent more time looking for the secret room in Adventure than we ever spent on any school project.
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