by Denise Dykstra

With Christmas just around the corner, I was reflecting on some memorable gifts over the years.

Every year we always try to find those perfect gifts for those we love, but sometimes Christmas magic happens and you are left with moments that will forever be etched into your memory.  

If I remember way back, and I don’t even have to try hard to do it, I remember the year I was given a Strawberry Shortcake doll.  I can still feel that excitement, as I sat in front of the tree, and saw the box that I knew my name was on.  

“It’s Strawberry Shortcake!” I remember telling my mom.  

She thought I had peeked at my gift, I had not.  I just knew it had to be my Strawberry Shortcake doll.  It was.  If you squeezed her tummy, she would blow you strawberry kisses, and man, oh man, everyone got strawberry kisses from Strawberry Shortcake that year.

All grown up, and with kids of my own that were nearly grown, my grandpa would still mention how I had that doll that blew strawberry kisses.  

I still have it. 

And on the whole peeking at gifts that I mentioned, I never did.  I have never been one to snoop gifts.  There was one year when I was a teenager that I found the chocolates my mom filled our stockings with because I was helping her bring in groceries, and they were in the grocery items.  

“Well, I guess you know what is in your stocking,” she laughed.  

It’s a moment that for some reason I always recall, and it’s for this reason, all my kids get chocolate marshmallow treats in their stockings — just like I used to. 

Then there was the year that all our third son wanted was a zebra.  A zebra!  We had no idea why.  I searched high and low and could not find a stuffed zebra.  It was literally the only gift he wanted, and I was stressed on all levels to find one.

My sister had been a Beanie Baby collector when she was young, and she searched her collection, finding a zebra beanie to give me, saving our son’s Christmas.  I will never forget the elation he had at finding that zebra under the wrapping paper.  

The moment was made all the better when my brother walked into my parent’s Christmas evening, carrying the biggest stuffed zebra.  One of his kids had been gifted the giant zebra, not one of his boys wanted a zebra, and we all laughed so hard we cried because everyone in my family had been on the zebra search that year. 

One of the most magical Christmases was when our youngest was in preschool.  He wanted a Pillow Pet dog, but he could not say “pillow”.  He kept asking for a “Piddow Pet”.  He watched a commercial about Pillow Pets being sold at Target, and he asked me to help him write a letter to Santa letting him know that he could find a pillow pet dog at Target.  That year, we sprinkled glitter, and put the oatmeal he had made in his preschool class, on the little knoll outside of our front door.  Santa’s reindeer could see the glitter, know where to stop, and then eat some oatmeal while Santa delivered the gifts.

Our youngest was very specific in his directions to Santa, so he would know exactly what to do, and exactly what pillow pet was needed that year for Christmas delivery.  When that boy got his “Piddow Pet”, the sheer elation that Santa had understood radiated from his little 4-year-old self.  

To this day, he still has that “Piddow Pet” and we will forever call it such. 

In an always to be remembered Christmas, I would say last year was pretty epic.  Last year at Christmas, our second oldest son was just finishing boot camp.  He had been in Great Lakes, near Chicago, and we crossed our fingers and prayed that he could come home.  I was ready to drive to the gate, and pick up my son, and give him a good big mama hug.  But the Navy sent him to Mississippi a week before Christmas, and that is where we thought he would stay for Christmas.  Then he was suddenly told he could go home, but the news came so late, he was unable to find a flight home.  He called his uncle, my youngest brother, who tried to find him a flight so he could get home and surprise us all.  

My brother said, “Get ready, we are coming to get you.”  

He, and my sister-in-law drove 15 hours one-way, picked him up at his gate, and turned right around–driving  15 more hours to deliver him to our door.  We were gifted five days with our son.  

There are many happy moments to recall, but I’ll leave you with these.  I would really love to hear some of your favorite memories.  Tell me in the comments a Christmas you will never forget!