Greatest Gifts

My heart still beats like crazy every Christmas morning. I still get excited seeing all the presents under the tree and watching my family as they open each gift. My sister and I used to have a Christmas Eve routine. We’d stay awake, indicated by coughing signals throughout the night. When the living room was dark and quiet, we’d meet in the hallway and tiptoe to the tree just to see the presents. That element of surprise and happiness may never go away, even as we become adults.
It’s probably very easy shopping for me. Anybody who has a sports fan on their Christmas gift list knows what to buy. It’s a pretty sure bet any present having to do with their favorite team will suffice. I’ve gotten sleigh-loads of sports gifts through the years. There’s the OSU toothbrush my sister bought me, the perfectly-folded white tennis shorts I received from my mother, and the World Series hardcover my dad got me one year. I’ve gotten baseball bats and caps, sports ornaments, and dozens of Yankee paraphernalia. Treasured gifts include the handheld Tiger baseball game I played hour after hour the year my Grandmother bought it for me. One Christmas, I opened, with much delight, a basketball shooting toy similar to a pinball machine. My two favorite sports-related gifts are a David Wells autographed ball cap from his perfect game and a Troy Aikman jersey. Another gift I still cherish is a leather Yankee bracelet given by a friend a few years back.
Every year, I look forward to at least one sports gift. It’s a sure bet I’ll get a few—after all, sports is what I do. It’s who I am. But I don’t think the greatest gifts come in tangible form. No, the greatest gifts are those you can’t put on a shelf or over your head. A parent’s love. Your sister’s comradery. The blessing from a friend. A co-worker’s acknowledgment. The smiling stranger. The greatest gifts come from the feeling you get when you exchange glances with a loved one on December 25th. Or when you think about a friend you lost this year before you go to bed on Christmas Eve. It’s the sight of a colorful Christmas tree and a beautiful life you’ve been blessed with. Or that sparkling person who somehow moves you to tears with the slightest gesture. Snazzy bats and signed baseballs can’t compare to the gift of a human heart. So here’s a big thank you to those people who have given me a piece of their heart on Christmas. Here’s to those who will always have a place in mine—the one that still beats like crazy every Christmas morning.

Parting Points: Song for Xmas-“Thank You” by Dido.