The New Falcon Herald writers present their stories about their best and/or worst Christmas gifts.A record player ñ whatís that?By Kathy HareAh, how technology has changed! My favorite 1950s Christmas present was a record player, powered by a rubber band. It came with four Roy Rogers and Dale Evans records. You placed the needle on the record, turned a handle to tighten the rubber band, and it started playing. I quickly discovered that by replacing the rubber band with a thicker one, I could increase the RPMs to produce a very annoying sound. Now what 6-year-old wouldnít love that?
A brick for ChristmasBy Robin WidmarìYou got your mother a what?îThatís what my husband said when I told him what was in the suitcase Iíd just lugged home from a trip to visit family in West Virginia.ìA brick.îìYouíre kidding, right?î He hadnít been part of the family long enough to know that we donít joke about these things. Besides, it wasnít like Iíd plucked it from a trash heap at a construction site. This brick had a story.My mother attended the Kruger Street Elementary School in Wheeling, W. Va. Her family lived on the same street, and I grew up hearing stories about the Kruger Street school and house. Her family eventually moved out of that house, and the last classes were held at the school in 1991.In 1998, the Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum opened in the two-story brick school building, which had been built in 1906. Curious to see the school my mom had talked about so much, as well as the toy collection, I stopped at the museum during my trip to Wheeling. Little did I know that Iíd also find the perfect gift for mom.The museum staff had salvaged some bricks from a wall that had been removed during renovations. They cleaned and sealed the bricks, affixed little engraved plaques to each one, and put them up for sale in the gift shop. As soon as I read the story posted by the stack of bricks, I knew what mom was getting for Christmas.My husband still thinks the Kruger Street Brick is the weirdest gift heís ever seen. And I have to admit itís probably the most unique present Iíve ever given anyone. But mom was tickled when she opened the box and she enjoys having a tangible piece of her childhood sitting in her home, 1,400 miles away from the place where she grew up.
The gift that keeps on givingBy Lindsey HarrisonIt isnít exactly a ìgiftî but the best thing I have ever received for Christmas was what I got last year.My husband had been working at a company that didnít fit our familyís needs. He was miserable, so he quit and took a contracting job that was supposed to tide us over until he found a permanent position. He left for Delta, Colo., the day after Thanksgiving. For those of you who donít know where Delta is itís roughly seven to eight hours away. Needless to say, he couldnít drive home on the weekends to hang out with the family so he stayed there for 19 straight days, working his tail off to provide for us until he found a better job.We didnít expect him to be home for Christmas so we made plans for him to drive home for a few days around Christmas, then head back to the Western Slope to finish the job. About six days before Christmas, he called to say that he and the other contractors had finished the job early. They would all be heading home, just in time to spend Christmas with us. I was ecstatic! He was home for Christmas and a few days later, we found out he got a job with a fantastic company just outside of Denver. It was, by far, the best gift my family and I have ever gotten. We got to be together for Christmas and wouldnít have to be split up like that ever again!
More than woodBy Angie MorlanAs long as I can remember, my dad has always enjoyed doing woodwork. It always amazed me how easy he made it look. I felt like he could make anything.From the time I was a little girl, I remember asking him to build me various things like a doll house or a jewelry box. As I got older, the requests changed. In high school, I wanted a desk in my room. I had plans to simply go to the store and pick up one of those do-it-yourself kits. My dad wouldnít hear of it. And in my first apartment, I needed a kitchen table. I remember coming home one weekend to find the perfect kitchen table built by my dad.My dad used his talent to start a family tradition at Christmas. Among all the store-bought presents, my mom and I would find a wooden gift that Dad had made for each of us. One of my favorite and most treasured gifts is a hope chest that he made for me when I was in college.Now that Iím married and have a family of my own, he still continues that tradition to include my husband and our son, Christopher. Over the years, Christopher has received a rocking horse, a chalkboard (the slate is the original piece from the chalkboard he made for me when I was a little girl) and last year he received his own full-size semi truck and trailer ñ all Grandpa Lueck originals.As I look around our house, my dadís handiwork is displayed in every room. The doll house he made so long ago now sits in Christopherís playroom. The perfect kitchen table has become our family game and puzzle table. And the desk is in my office. I love each of dadís handmade gifts because they remind me of him and how much time and love he put into making it. I canít wait to see whatís wrapped up under this yearís tree!
Pound Puppy beats clothesBy Alli GriffinThe worst Christmas gift I got was clothes. There is nothing worse for a kid than faking enthusiasm over a tacky sweater you just opened. My problem was even bigger though. I have a twin sister, so not only did we have to endure the terrible sweater as a gift; each of us received the exact same sweater and had to pose in it for pictures. It was a disappointing gift and an embarrassing one as well ñ 1985 was not a good year for the sweater.The best gift was a stuffed Pound Puppy that either my grandparents or my mom got for me; Iím not sure. All I know is that I loved that stuffed dog. I dressed it up in clothes and took it everywhere. It still lives in my house to this day. You know you received a good gift when you still have it is as an adult. It might be slightly worn out, but there is no way I would get rid of it!
