Christmas anticipation has changed with the passing years

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN SCOTT NUSS
During a drive home from Kansas City a few nights ago, I realized how much Christmas has changed for me over the years.

In my younger years, the Christmas season would start in late October or early November when that great Sears or JC Penney Wish Book would arrive in the mail.

Immediately, I would claim it, go straight to the toys, grab a notebook, and start writing down each and every item I wanted, including the product number and page number, so that the parents and Santa would know exactly where to look.

I would create this list-which often exceeded 50 items-show it to Mom and Dad and all of the grandparents, and then take it in to Santa, who at that time still lived in the little red shack between the old Marion Hardware store and Duckwalls.

I even remember waiting in line to talk to him and I can only imagine that I shared and compared my list to the list of others.

After this, we would often have to create another Christmas list in school, which the teacher would collect and mail to Santa. But somehow the letters would be intercepted by the local newspaper, which I believe worked in my favor because that way everybody would know what I wanted.

Then began the long, agonizing wait until the family Christmases, which usually began in Newton.

We could never do things in the right order. They made us sit around and talk, then eat a meal and dessert, which seemed to take forever. Then, the adults would sit around and drink coffee when there were presents to open! I had no idea how coffee could be better than presents, but apparently it was.

When we finally got around to opening presents, I was in what seemed to be heaven! Toys galore! To be quite honest with you, I think the only toy that’s still around is a big remote-control fire truck that is garaged at my grandparents’ house.

Now that I’m finishing my final year of high school, Christmas is a little different-and has been for a few years now.

The JC Penney’s and Sears Wish Books have been transformed into Internet sites or ideas that pop up in my head. I no longer compose a multi-page list of things I want for Christmas. Rather, I create a smaller list of higher-priced items that will be useful to me for more than two days. (I don’t think anything on this year’s list required any D batteries.)

I no longer expect to get toy tractors or trucks, but rather clothing and maybe a few other items, depending on what I ask for.

I no longer devour my meal and go beg by the Christmas tree until the rest of my family can’t stand me any longer. Rather, I take the more conservative approach and take my time eating the meal. I know that eventually presents will be opened, and if I get bored before that time, there’s bound to be some sort of football game on some channel.

These days I sit back and watch my younger cousins follow in almost my exact footsteps, though their feet are much smaller than mine. I couldn’t help but chuckle when I looked up from our Christmas meal to the sight of three little girls sitting on the steps waiting with patient anticipation for us to get done. Eventually, we moved into the living room and opened presents.

As I opened my gifts, the younger children went ecstatic with the discovery of Easy-Bake Microwaves, Power Ranger Lion Blaster guns, new additions to doll sets, and yes, even a toy fire truck.

As I watched this, I couldn’t help but think back to my younger days.

Some Christmas traditions, however, will most likely never change. Take for example the Zion Lutheran Sunday School Christmas Program, which I was again a part of this year for probably the 13th year in a row.

For those of you who were unable to attend, the famous angel line of “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill to men” was included for what I’m assuming is at least the 20th straight year!

If you were there, I was one of the very Arabian-looking wise men. Undoubtedly, we followed the tradition of coming home to our house after the program, eating, and opening presents with parents and grandparents.

Though the Christmas experience has changed for me over the years, its meaning has not. Even though it won’t happen for another 11 months and 25 days, I would encourage you to keep the true meaning of Christmas in your heart through this new year.

Having said that, have a great 2003!

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