Hai Karate

This morning as I have done for so many year before, I sat on the couch with bed head and opened wrapped presents around a lit Christmas tree. This year our bounty was meager yet just as appreciated. I placed a box of Whitman Samplers underneath the tree for the Mrs. The Third. Her father used to always leave her one when she was younger. As I have stated, I am big on tradition. But I have to confess that it was for Easter morning that he left out the candies. Oh well so I have modified them a bit. It is the thought I suppose. I set here drinking fresh Starbucks coffee (Christmas Blend 2009) and admiring my four new pair of Banana Republic boxers (which I picked out). My wife is in the kitchen cooking eggs Ranchero. My mother used to cook that for us on Christmas morning. I got some really nice cologne (Dolce Gabbana the one) , a cooking pot for my home brew beer (from the Rock Star Mentality), a gift certificate to Austin Brew Supply (from The Prodigy and The Jim). I see my peeps are really reading my blogs. I also received (from The Mrs. The Third) a very small cast iron skillet to hold basting sauce for my grill/pit. I am really impressed with it. It made me recall past Christmases and me thinking what were my very favorite presents.

My Aunt Pete and Uncle Jay used to always give me multiple pairs of Gold Cup socks. At one time I owned every color that they made. I think I finally wore out the last pair of them only a few years ago. My Aunt Mary Nell used to always give me Old Spice cologne. I drop hints to my family that I would appreciate some each year. Some years I do get some and some years (like this year) I do not. When I do not get any I usually go out and buy some anyway.

I have received countless record albums, eight tracks, cassettes, CDs and DVDs. I could not tell you how many sweaters, shirts, pants, jackets and other assorted articles of clothing I have received. I have received electronics,watches, bedding, guns, fishing equipment, tools, baseball gloves, footballs, basketballs, cigars, art work, musical instruments, jewelry,(including a Saint Christopher's medal from an old girlfriend) alcohol, and food (even boudin). I have received at least two bicycles, In addition to the Old Spice and Dolce Gabbana I have received a lot of cologne. Conoe, British Sterling, Brut, English Leather, Polo, Arimis, Royal Coppenhagen, Paco Rabon, Lagerfield, Grey Flannel, Currier and Ives, various Avon fragrances and yes even Hai Karate to name only a few. Of course I received toys when I was younger and even a few when I grew older. My father once had an old pulp wood truck parked in front of our house and a set of keys hanging on the Christmas tree. He had me convinced that he had bought it for me. Thank God he did not. I guess my D-28 qualifies as my favorite gift of all time. But there is a story that goes with it and I will tell it another day. Most of my readership already knows the story.

My father's mother and father never gave me a Christmas present. Well they did sort of. Each year they would give my mother and father a check (a pretty good one actually) and my parents would use it to purchase our presents. We got a pretty cool bounty each year. Each Christmas I tended to purchase Dit a new wallet. He would always say he loved it. A few months after he died I was going through his desk and I found 13 wallets. All new. As his oldest grandson I received the wallet he actually used. It was worn and tattered. I am not sure if it was one that I gave him or not.

So... I must say that it is not the receiving of gifts and for that matter not the giving of gifts. It is what it is, and what it is is special.

Yes, it is the day the Catholic Church designated as the Feast of the Birth of Christ or Christ's Mass. And yes, it is a United States federal holiday. But it is special in it's own individual way to each of us.

So my trilogy of Christmas blogs is complete.

Happy Christmas to you all and to all a good night,

Santa (aka The Third)