The Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-12-22, Page 4PAGE 4 --GODERICIISIGNALFSTAR, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1951
DAVE
SYKES
As ChliStMIS Day approaches I am
seriously coniddering getting mg and doing
some shopping for themisaus and little guy.
I've bad ideas for gift rattling areund in
my head for quite some time hut, working in
a hotness of desdlkies, I like to play them
dose. So in keeping with my procrastinating
style, gifts will be purchased dome to the
deadline.
Gifts for other relatives and the im-
mediatne e family are always looked after by
someoelse rind I just dip in With the
appropriate amotmt of cash. If it was Wt up
to me, family members have come to
realize, certain relatives would not have
presents to open.
But I de have a tear that my tardiness
with respect to the Christmas shopping will
me year lead to a disaster. Bit, it is the
thought that cents, right?
I also hope that my family does not shop in
the same manner as yours truly. Regardless
of what people need or ask for, I generally
buy original gifts they didn't need or ask for.
It Man alwisbnas interesting.
To be boneot, I hate buying the things
people request. It takes the =prise element
out of Christmas and there is nothing more
gratifying than the look on the little
wonnues face as she attempts to look
pleased with my surmise gift.
I am also a firm believer in buying
practical gifts, things that Fan be used
around the house Ike beer or a new shovel
forthellttle WOMBIL
Agahe it's the thought that counts and
there Can be no price tag on affection or
sentimentality. I find that my surprise
buying tactics go over quite well with the
redpients and the originality adds to the
gift
However, if family members purchased
my gifts in the same manner, I would get
upset. My gift list is limited and the
requested items are of a practical nature.
Beer and so* to be precise
1 don't want oeople baying me =prim
original gifts that I can't pit to some
practical use. I am nut in the process of
using some after -shave lotion received at
about age 9. It's amazing how those kinds of
gifts pile up on the dresser.
The label en the stuff premises that it will
exude an aromatic odor and is to be uted by
only the mast macho of men. Right away
I'm trouble. The female contingent of the
editorial department hasn't been slobbering
on my desk or clawing at my wardrobe and I
find that most people are keeping their
distance.
• It probably has somethktg to do with the
aging process. Through years, of inactivity
and consitkrfig the deconiposing and
evaporating moves, the aftershave now
smells hire a high school gonad= after
the Friday nigit dance. That should teach
relatives to buy me useless gifts.
In retroepect, a child's approach to
Christmas is perhaps materialistic but
appropriate. Clothing was not considered an
essentialcommodity but thanks were ea -
tended to the donor at the advice of parents.
Kids want electronic things, hockey
genies and baseball gloves and other things
they can play with immediately. That puts a
lot of pressure on fatten; at Christmas. The
lids want to get playing with the presents
but either the batteries aren't included or
some assembly is required.
Don't ever buy your children gifts that
require sane minor assembly. That usually
means there aren't enough parts in the boz
and if there is, they won't go together
properly. It tends to strain relations during
thefestive season.
I've still got a few days to TIM out and buy
the miens a thermal nightie. And this is my
first Christntas as a father so I'm getting the
Little guy something practical, something he
Catl use.
A nice young lady, about 20, with all the
parts. Noassembly required.
41111IMINW
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SHIRLEY KELLER
Chris= come; but wee a year
• obit to bay few inother dear,
tiad lather dear,
And lbrether dear,
bad where shield yea go skimpiest'
On tlis Christmas eve, Fen in my usual state d
unreadness_
The tree is up - Mankato my youngest sons Tilde
outdoor lights are up - thanks to my letsband.
The baking is well underway - thanks to, my
daughters Bet I havertt got ewes steely
started with my part of Christmas.
I we I ese.k1 algae that mileahers have
motet° do than most members of the tamely
There's die"- gifts and istroct
/here's the meal plasma - Christmas et a
lot motethart one dinner.
Tbere are the little details - such as chggingott
the pmcit bowl and•shinkag the niter
candlesticks and cleaning the refrigerator and
the freezer to make room for all the extras that
will need space
And then themes the tratatiens - the little in-
timate tradittoes that Fee tried to make a
part off eel& Keller Christmas..
Thane ie, traditions take week.. &Id if they
am sidestepped jest one the tradon is
gone forever_
One tradttonatour house is a fetter Einem moat
Meter? dad eachaudetery Chrestints.
These
at ordinary kitten. They are rere
iseeivenen,14 keitettiaotte t..,Oderreatieterfereffe", g:itehoh, teh glad" relatieesidp thating the year jest past- They are
ray hopes for . their Mares They am my
a1e 444.4t (mei teheZ• etWetajfeeeneee,
Aid &keelris 'mug-
#stide 0.03,04fade&iFA4, dom. 'greaft oeet. letzeld
pea porowleedulos ipteatio, atieeldaglik te.
ffrizeo,yeats Ii b des tia, d c Igo
d°asseef&A. e6,4c1 e4.zsede_./Avortz sleet/iees stiati4
se,,,4 yea Woa .durraAzaide hJ6 gozoratiedv,t•
oizariz,e/A "
9igzeideddez4 41e2e fei,e4 fved de ewg,ella. wzdteeri44 tide
;e:1111., I
dwitigs d toy deet thoughts attest oar
Christmas is the one time of year when I
truly wish I taus six years old agate
Wien I was siz, and when it vies Christ-
mas, all Was right with the wort& The only
!ears and worries had to do with whether or
not I bed be good enough to get presents
and if Dad remembered to put theftre out so
Santa wouldn't get tentei
Christmas Eve was the fortgeet night of
the year. It was agate lying these to bed,
startag
at the Window at the roditoges
knoing. fall weil that Sesta weetdolt come
if I was awake. Finafty, wtenthe deem fight
=end thrash the shapes there erne the
strategic waking up of fasofty triembersa aad
these* prettentpostdrg.
Ewery fanaly has its am" traditioes
and rituals that am mere sacred thee
meeting. There was nate of that 4 am.
rippitag tied tearing kro we Mn parents
insisted as Mktg there to share in our
fir Mtn et rate- t ease ae
tascoveredSemitsi's delivery.
After Sailing Saalab staff, we Inc! to eat
breakfast- 1 remember itanning best demi
my duvet in hysterical emitanett. After
mitring break/ma we had to suffer
through the waitiog period Male dishes
were douse coffee coarsened, and everyme
&teed befere the preseste wafer the tree
caddie meted
The was to orderly of, , cab one ita-
idad delegated *0 mad the tags ent the
Id them mt. It was quite a
restionsibetty
for the Smtat to on that
eraysne hal s giat to opet sad n;o one was
feft gifdess ataityperisdol time-
fanay how these traditions stick Eke
gaze to oar penteettlks. Evetethiag eer
Sees may chsage hot trestifthave thissesoe
at ism cbristmmse is swayed to bee
kw:aim:dawn oaf besets,
cantherty
love and devadote,
eeiseteie advitheand adin"
Fara we is a lit* rased of peewee" Whey
de* 1 walet a dad mamma_ Ilse
protean wiettradithe iso we waist the sane
people who stetted Mess te he amend to
carrythern sat every yew.
The tracts became deeded thtrets far
sne because1 blear ftiags weren't gotag
be face they oned le be au) those werefeefri
Christmasmordagewhee1 wasa daft
The fatally fragoteetted tare roanY
families do asd Ike (Ahem 1 have foand
seasertal celetwations a time af cm-
"; and suety tested layaftiest
"asismossid everyone is sappeset to tom
eachotheret isthemeimge.ftweektel wales
Immix hstaithessit work awe
1 am doge busing aott to take such a
itegative ataxia tonstioth 'Christmas nave
awaked ewer the fact that carklatt state
cessfafty sSce myself ap like a gee sod
detsitate myself teetreeterte 11 felt obagated
tee eft Cte lette %meal" oter tete
111
for we year. If the letters me properly filed
away- as I suspect they may be -they will tell the
unvarnished truth about life as it was lived by
each of my dilaters from albott age 14 onsraidL
Cam you imagine what kind of time goes into
thepreparation of these letters?
They are handwritten of course - no
typesetters allowed. They are efillikea14-
drainng epistles &sleeted to inspire, to plaid! to
encourage. And they are terribly difficult to
write.
Bit the kids do look for them each Christmas
And though I threaten every year to end the
tradition, 1 just can't. I t1*„ "Boy, I wilt
somebody would have done that sort dating fir
This year I nest write my first Christmas
kfter to sny manned daugiter acid her faustend-
les always a hazard to iatiude a new fair*
member*0snob an eternally dose treatise..
WIB my ilieW stacein-law accept it as it is
feeder
And 1 mast write something heinisti„ sap -
dive ant professed kw my eldest sou old
doggy/ter-in-kw who here jet made a weighty
decisiths to pen 4 stakes in Canada mil set tat
for a oew fife anothee constry right after
Oftristreas.
Fistany„ there"s yoangestt sots - agareachiug
IS and an the new responsibilities that larkgs.
Wates the hest white Ins mild Siwe to a
teenager abate to become a new driver in Mr
How wend yon cliftr gedeatice his canter and
ifitstyle forte immediatefutere?
As 1 parader aver my haterstonly Aitken this
Christmas, Fers intistentel by se mazy dims
ping as to my OWE kfe.
thanees ad challenges are fade =ditty
hustiatil in the year ahead. Like so many aster
Canadians,
were having to eve with nett
situations at a time vibes there are so may
disturb* pia/meat lame andi abroad.
Add the deneligitie of fleeting yeah and
related options, is a caste for reflection. Ilio
wonder, maybe, that I'M potting off my letters
foronemoreday.
ft is at tirnes Ike these that Ian so thanifst
that Christmas meets neve to me than mailer
occasion to take time off Wart and do same
etiebratteg-
When Ihre got titeinge on nay mind, decisions to
make and chimes to take, I'tn so glad my
Christmas basalt yew long
The greet* cards tea get at this time af year
ta& dent the Peace of atristmate This year,
nem that any after recent mentsay, the
peak of the worfd sorely do seed the Peace of
Christmas.
Sadly emegta too many fold are lookisg io the
wing places Under the Chrietreas thee On a
hampiet We_ At tte Wean of a &dee_ In
themsetwes,
Fran pereasol experteate„1
flaking fa:the Peace of Christmas to theneoger
at Bethlehem That's where 11 foetid at And 90 did
a greatonam atherpeage 11 knew.
Same (0". say it'ha crutch. Some peapie sae.
ins aft to the head Sane e say Metres no
basis& Stator it all
leafy fraow iterates rsie and Sr=Moos of
others
May yes fiat the tree Nate of Christmas
year. May each of yea ezperteme tke joyous
of everyday optimism Matt comes from
sada Simpiet Eastitgpeace_
Medd be aior and if they ward hate me
for ireepisigazy ..irentt f aisteriee
Ftie learned to male Christmas Me that
seg. anfotete gott to bve the one warm
widen Atel tre aot at fret dant the ate Firs
oat ant&
All may vietbe with tite tgi atal
rimy bate feats aad worries1 Mint have
whin 1 was Stir net that lett important.
What is impertatt that 1 can Sod lay
were myself..
This year, rial *MAK Claristmas with
my fattiest I farmed spent Cheistattes with
ate feeler for seem years. ht mignit mond
toasts avel 1 witkastarat that it went be the
same as tikes 1 was sir, act Wove 1 et to
Winn goichgtotek bin to remember to peat
de five out se that Santa doesn't get homed
vaterate esatesdoeu the hettitatiter.
Mercy Christaart Dad_ Et's best as foal;
tine
• CATH
WOODEN
0