After crafting my letter to Santa, I proof-read my little sister’s. At the top of her list, a Tonka Truck.
“No, Staci! That’s a boy’s present!!!” I was incredulous. Although we both had tomboy tendencies favoring tree climbing to tea parties, she couldn’t waste her main gift on a boy’s present. Papa Creecy would buy us boy presents any time we wanted, at the mere mention of a matchbox car or a baseball bat…
Grateful to have been saved from such a misguided gift, Staci erased and erased and erased until she almost ripped the notebook paper. Over the bare worn spot, she wrote Baby Alive Doll in large block letters. There could be no confusion on Santa’s part. Much better, I thought.
Satisfied, we taped our letters near the rock fireplace in the living room. Santa would spot them the moment he slid down our chimney. I felt a bit sorry for Staci—her letter was really messy with all that erasing. I would have started over with a clean sheet of paper…
Christmas morning was cold and blustery and WHITE. Snow on the most wonderful day of the year! But the snow would have to wait. We crept into the living room wondering had we really been good enough? I had doubts.
Shocked, we stared dumb-struck at the Christmas miracle. Parked underneath the Scotch pine tree—a shiny Tonka Dump Truck and Front End Bucket Loader. Santa really didknow what we were thinking.
I was surprised to receive anything that year after making fun of my sister’s letter to Santa.
We played with those trucks for years, and to this day they sit on my mother’s back porch. Tonka Trucks are guaranteed for life, you know.
talya
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
Musical Pairing:
Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Jackson 5
“Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.”
― Laura Ingalls Wilder
― Laura Ingalls Wilder
To this day, my favorite gift ever, the Tonka Truck! Great column!
So many lovely stories!
I love that Tonka Truck on the back porch. It tells the tale of many Christmas’ past. B
Isn’t it amazing how Santa always knew our heart’s desires!=)
True!
We still have Billy’s Tonka truck,(he’s 22) but I think it’s plastic. Good story.