As the sleigh gained speed and altitude into the night’s sky, I leaned back just a bit, closing my eyes, and telling myself this is nothing more that a weird dream, wishing on wishing myself awake. I opened my eyes as I began to feel the sleigh slowing, looking over to the reigns of the sleigh, I found sexy Ms Santa was gone and had been replaced by one of those plastic army men from my childhood, with the single exception of this one being six feet tall.
 
After a few minutes of silence, the army man on steroids began telling me that he was the Ghost of Christmas Presents Past, known to his friends as Sarge, and he had been sent by Santa, who after reading my last column knew I was destined to be bound in ribbon, wrapping paper and to remain in the return line of thoughtless gifts for all time. It was about this time the sleigh came to a landing in the yard of a house, which I recognized to be that of my childhood home.
 
Sarge whisked me through the wall and into the house where I saw my family, much younger than I can remember, sitting around the Christmas tree opening gifts. Sarge’s most interesting gift was that of the army set of the battle of Norway, go figure a bunch of little army guys in a mock battle of supremacy. However he did point out that all gifts big or small are ones of thoughtfulness and that all the gifts I had received were those of thought not emotion.
 
Over the time I spent with my family on this day, I realized the gifts were that of what I wanted and not just gifts of convenience. They listened to me when I spoke of what I wanted and just didn’t pass them off as whims. My family really listened to me over the year; unlike I am today, just buying a gift for someone without thought.
 
I could honestly tell you that I didn’t think my family ever listened to me, whether it is Christmas or my birthday, but I was surprised that they indeed did listen and understood my wishes. After this visit with Sarge it became apparent that I should give more thoughts to my gift giving that being just on the whim.
 
It was hard to think back over all the gifts I had received, like the Lincoln Logs, Erector Sets, Tinker Toys and the Etch-A-Sketches I had received over the years of my early childhood, but my family recognized my propensity for design. It’s funny thinking back that I had never thought anyone had listened to me, but, yet I received the gifts I wanted and then some.
 
As the time came to leave, I can tell you I didn’t want to because this was a good time in my life. The people I thought knew nothing about me knew more than I had ever thought. As we were preparing to leave, I asked Sarge to leave me behind because I felt more of a connection with my family than I had never felt before, and he told me that there was no way he would ever leave a man behind.
 
We got back, into the sleigh and he recited the same thing sexy Ms Santa had, “On Allie, On Abby, On Aggie you three we have to be done before the clock strikes three”. The next thing that I knew, we were again airborne and headed to our next destination, back home and hoping to be awoke from this dream.