Surviving the African Parent

Yes, I believed in Santa and no, I am not ashamed to say it. It was a wonderful part of my childhood, believing my presents were free and all I had to do was ask. I didn't do the extreme stuff like leaving milk and cookies but I did stay up to wait for him. Science and started to catch up with fiction and science fiction wasn't going to be the result of that clash. (Sorry, bad joke😅)  I wondered how someone lived in the frozen North Pole, how he got letters in the first place, who delivered the letters to him, how he knew what I wanted when I didn't tell him (I didn't write letters). I especially wanted to know how he got in when we didn't have a chimney and double locked all the doors at night. Long story short, I waited and he  actually  showed up. NOT. I figured out the rest from there. I was fun while it lasted though.

 

 

  I recall a time we wanted to go Christmas shopping when I was younger. We all piled into the car and started to drive to all our favourite places to buy toys.  As we approached our favourite place to shop, we saw that the lights were out in the shop and wondered why. My parents spoke to one another in low tones before taking us to a new store to buy our toys.  My brothers didn't know what happened but I did. Apparently, a flood had affected the area and the shop was closed for repairs. How did I hear that when they spoke in low tones? I'm sure you know the answer to that question. The super hearing all teens seem to have developed by the time they are twelve for whatever reason. What have you used your super hearing to do recently?

 

 

  When I was a kid, my brothers and I saved up all year  (or at least most of the year... maybe half the year... It doesn't matter how long we saved for, the point was that we saved.) for one occasion... Christmas Shopping. Christmas shopping meant different things to my siblings and I.  For my brothers, it meant going to the shop, seeing a toy that was obviously out of their budget and trying to buy it anyways. It was a process that involved plenty begging, a bit of crying, some degree of tantrum throwing, plenty threats and someone (be it uncle, aunty or parent) eventually adding their money to the measly savings in order for the toy to be purchased. Things happened very differently on my end. Firstly, I didn't spend all the money on MYSELF although I wasn't much better. I would buy cheap presents for everyone, spend a whopping amount on myself and make sure I had the most important part of the trip- change. I always made sure I had change to add to my ...

 

  The star is the highlight of the tree. In movies, its always an emotional moment when the grandfather or father lifts the chubby toddler on his shoulders to put the star on the live Christmas tree. Well. In my house, For starters, Our tree is silver and we have no cute, chubby toddler. The youngest in the house is almost a teenager. "What about the magical star?" you might ask. At least the star looks like the ones you see in the Christmas movies Welllllll.... no. Our star is chipped, and broken in a corner and purple. Yup. Bright purple.  However, It's the best part of the tree if you ask me and has been in the family since I was a baby.  Last year, we had to tape the star to the tree to make it stay. But it was tradition and it was fun. Our purple star on our silver tree. How is your Christmas tree like?