Thursday, December 11, 2014

Throwback Thursday: The Ungrateful Pre-Teen Edition

As a mother of teenagers, I know how challenging it can be to choose just the right gift to place under the Christmas Tree. I have spent weeks asking probing questions only to be greeted with the old stand-by "I don't know", or, by my personal favorite, "I don't need anything". Not helpful.

So, I have a fresh appreciation for the frustration my parents must have felt during the Christmas of 1979.

That year, there was never any question that my older sister wanted a satin jacket, a maroon satin jacket with white sleeves, to be exact.

And, the fact that my younger sister desperately desired a Baby Snuggles was well-known throughout the household.

I, however, must have continued to answer the age-old question of "What do you want for Christmas?" with my present day nemesis answers of; "I don't know" or "I don't need anything"...

...which possibly explains why, on Christmas morning, my older sister opened up her package to discover that satin jacket and Barbie found that doll under the tree while I unwrapped a yellow, plastic, mushroom-shaped powder puff.


The look on my face perfectly captured my feelings at the time, like, "Hey! This is so....cool?". Which, was probably not what my poor mom was going for like at all.

She was clearly hoping for something more along the lines of Barbie's reaction...


...and I'm really sorry I didn't deliver; that was one happy kid.

Of course, the powder puff wasn't the only gift I received that year; I remember enjoying the Fashion Plates I got very much, so, it's not like I was deprived or anything. In fact, I was pretty spoiled when I think about it; I had a few friends who probably would have been beyond thrilled with that powder puff.

I guess my point is; I feel my mom's pain; trying to create the most special memories every year is exhausting and, having an ungrateful kid must have been damaging to her psyche.

I'm sorry, Mom. I hope the fact that I have nothing but wonderful memories of the experiences you provided for us during our childhood Christmases makes up for the fact that I was a little shit back in 1979.

I really do.



 
Forget the yellow powder puff, WTF is up with the red socks?

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