Favorite Christmas Gift

For years I yearned for ice skates…not just any ice skates but I wanted the white ones, with white laces, figure skating ice skates.  I knew if I could have the white skates, I’d twirl and whirl like the Olympic figure skaters I loved to watch.  Looking back I’m sure my parent’s reluctance to buy me ice skates was mostly due to my growing feet.  From one year to the next my feet were changing size rapidly. I would imagine buying new skates every winter was not in our family budget.   

I did have my choice of hand me overs from my brothers….black and brown hockey skates. Sturdy and warm they kept me skimming along the ice of a nearby frozen pond. And then…

One Christmas morning, under the tree I found a heavy, square, box with my name on it.  After church and Christmas dinner we trooped out to the pond. In the Wisconsin cold and wind I felt nothing but anticipation for my first “real” skate. It was magical; my feet were so light, the skates brilliantly white, blades gleaming silver.  Not used to floating quite so much over the ice, I spent a good part of the first hour on my backside. Now it is a wonderful memory; a gift even better in reality then in my imaginings. 

Happy Winter Everyone! May you have joy on ice and anywhere else you happen to land!

By DeeDee Lane

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