PERFECT GIFTS
Everyone loves to receive gifts at Christmas time. And I am sure that as Christmas approaches, we are wondering what lies behind those wrapped presents. I remember as a child that these four weeks of advent were so difficult. I would go by that tree about 30 million times a day looking at the box and trying to discover exactly what it was. I could not touch the presents--that was against the rules. And so I would spend time imagining what was in that box and hope to goodness that it was exactly what I had asked for.
It sort of reminds me of the story found in a recent Dennis the Menace cartoon. Dennis is shown rushing into the room with this big box, and as his mom turns around her mouth drops open as Dennis says, "Mom, we’d better tell Santa Claus to forget about the train that I asked for. I just found one exactly like I want on the top shelf of Dad’s closet."
(Chris Carroll "Giving the Perfect Gift" 1/19/2009)