Today's writing prompt is "The Stocking."
My oldest son Justin loves the Christmas season more than anyone I know! At 28, he is still obsessed with Santa Clause. He really helps to keep the magic of Christmas alive in our house, so I guess it makes sense that I think of him when I think of Christmas memories. It is always funny to me to see the things he loves that I didn’t expect.
In our family, Santa brings presents, mom and dad bring presents, and then there’s the stocking. The stocking never holds the main present. It is full of little trinkets that I find throughout the year that I think will be practical or fun for my kids. There is often makeup, jewelry, art supplies, food, fidget toys, books etc. Justin’s stocking is generally almost empty. He get’s overwhelmed if there are too many presents for him on Christmas morning, so I generally put in some small cars, a puzzle or other toy and some candy -just little things that don’t require his immediate attention, that he can check out later in the week.
Two years ago, I stuffed his stocking with, well, stockings. I bought a set of ten pairs of socks with superhero logos on them and didn’t think much about it. I knew my other children would like the little things I put in their stockings, but I thought Justin’s was just something practical because he needed new socks.
Fast forward to Christmas morning. Justin got the new remote-control car that he has asked for and received almost every year for the last 22 years. He also got a watch that I knew he would love. There were other gifts from us and from his brothers and sisters. After all the gifts were opened and I was gathering up the wrapping paper, I noticed that Justin wasn’t playing with his new car or asking me to help him with his watch. He had all of his new socks of the stocking and was carefully lining them up on the living room floor and talking about the superhero that was on each sock! That was the first and possibly only time his favorite gift was something he didn’t ask for. Just a simple little practical gift in his stocking.