Tinker Toy Christmas

As Christmas draws to a close and I prepare myself to return to work in the morning, I look back and reflect on this holiday season.

It was difficult for me to get into the holiday spirit.  Despite the appearance of Egg Nog in the grocery store, despite the decorations, despite the Christmas carols, despite the ubiquitous sound of bells and the sight of red buckets outside stores, despite the B.C. Clark Jingle, I just wasn't feeling it.  I honestly tried but it just wasn't happening.  I could easily blame it on the "war on Christmas" as I did experience very few "Merry Christmas" moments but the truth is I've been a bit numb lately.

I'm not sure if it's my job or not but that's what I've been blaming it on.  Something has shifted inside my head and I'm about ten degrees out of phase with life.  I see it going on around me and I experience it but the sensory perception is lacking some crucial piece that puts everything in perspective and makes the picture whole.  It even affected my Christmas wish list.  This is the one and only Christmas that my list hasn't been impressively long and has included things I actually had a chance of getting. (part of the reason for that was that I have all the big ticket items I've been asking for over the past few years - digital SLR, nice MP3 player, new computer, etc.)

Anyway, early Friday morning we traveled to Kansas City to see my family.  We arrived late morning and my nephews showed up late afternoon.  I had a good time chatting with them and giving them a hard time.  For some reason, I turn into a twelve-year-old when I'm around them.  It's probably because I want to recapture some of the youthful innocence and irresponsibility they represent... but I digress.

On Saturday morning, we opened our gifts.  Most everything I received was on my list and there were a few surprises that I was happy to receive but I was disappointed.  My oldest nephew got a laptop that he spent most of the day setting up and personalizing.  Another nephew got a Nintendo DS that he played with in between X-Box sessions (the X-Box belongs to his brother and was not a gift from this Christmas).  Even the youngest nephew got a robot that he played with most of the day while his battery-powered Razor scooter was charging.  It wasn't that I was disappointed in my gifts, I just didn't have anything to tinker with.  I mean, even the TV required some setup.

We said our goodbyes and headed to Oklahoma City to meet with my wife's family on Sunday.  Another Nintendo DS and two MP3 players were involved at this gathering.  I received a couple of items from my list plus a really cool lighted holy family figure that is quite angelic in shape.  I was grateful to receive them but, again, disappointed to not have anything to tinker with since I've outgrown playing with the boxes my gifts came in.

Today, Christmas day, everything changed.

After spending the night at her mother's house, we all went to the house of a family friend for Christmas dinner.  We had a nice meal of ham, carrots, sweet potatoes, rolls and pumpkin pie and settled down to play cards.  The game of choice with this crowd is Pinochle.  I like to join in when I have a chance because it's a fun game and I usually get a lot of help - at least when the game first starts.  I usually only play once a year and have to be reminded of the gameplay process and rules.  The fellowship and friendly competition brought me more happiness than any of the gifts I had received.

But wait, that's not all.

We had saved our gifts to each other for when we got home this evening.  I decided to open the small box first.  I unwrapped a 2006 Hallmark Keepsake ornament of the Starship Enterprise.  This was the original NCC-1701 - "No bloody A, B, C or D"  The original Enterprise started their Star Trek series and I have almost all of the ship ornaments, including the shuttlecraft Galileo, except the very first one.  I knew it was out of reach because the first time I learned of its existence it was for sale at a flea market for a price of $300.00.  When I saw this, my heart leapt for joy.  It was, essentially, a reprint but I didn't care.  This was the vessel that started it all.  This was the ship I had grown up watching every Sunday morning in reruns with which I developed my knack for naming the episode within ten seconds of seeing any part of the show.  I am a Trekkie through and through.  I shall cherish this gift for many years to come - even if it's not something I can fiddle with.