*12 Days of Christmas Memories and Adventures

One the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me-

When I was 12 years old my parents probably gave me the coolest present you could give a kid on the verge of turning 13.

They gave me a stereo for Christmas- not only did they give me a really neat stereo, they also gave me about 6 albums which were big at the time- Dreamboat Annie by Heart, Boston’s first album, Frampton Comes Alive, The Runaways first album and Arrival by Abba and Fly Like An Eagle by Steve Miller.

I had asked for a couple but the rest were surprises, I mean they were cool.  Coming from my Dad was a big fan of The Kingston Trio, I was surprised that he knew who Boston and Steve Miller were.  Later I found out that my Dad had asked some of the kitchen staff at the restaurant he was working at for some ideas for records that were popular and that’s how I ended up with the Frampton, Heart and Steve Miller album.

So what was it like to open these fabulous dream gifts on Christmas morning?

I gave an Oscar winning performance. I went out of my mind with joy over  that cool stereo and those records under our tree. My parents scored big that year in my book.

But like I said- it was an Oscar winning performance because my little brother had found the key to the room where my Dad was stashing our presents and he peeked into each and every gift.

Then when we were watching TV about a week before Christmas he told me and our little sister what our ‘big presents’ were.

I was thrilled. I couldn’t believe I was getting such neat gifts. Then it dawned on me that my brother had spoiled Christmas so I got up from the couch and I threw a punch at him- but that little sucker was fast so he turned away and I caught him on his shoulder blade.

I got into trouble for punching my brother- and what made it worse was that I had hit him in the back.

When my Mom asked why I hit my brother I said something like, he was a jerk or I felt like hitting him ‘ that’s why’ and I got grounded right then and there over Christmas vacation.

I remember my brother laughing at me when I got sent to my room and to make it worse he laughed at me on Christmas morning too when I started to open my new records.

So when he went outside to ride his new bike, I stole all of his Christmas candy and dumped it in the toilet.

The sad ending for me was that after my Dad went to use the toilet and saw that candy I was restricted  for a week longer, but who cares?

I spent it in my room with my new record player  and  a pile of gifts that my little toad of  brother couldn’t peek at because my Dad had hid them- wait for it, in my brother’s room on the top shelf of his closet that he never used because it was to tall for him to reach.

If I’ve said it once here I’ve said it a million times.

My family wasn’t perfect but damn, we sure were entertaining.