Zona

I've become my father. Christmas edition.

Growing up, we kids used to always ask my father what he wanted for Christmas and if he didn't say "nothing" he said "socks and underwear".

I use the nothing answer when my kids ask me.

So today me and the missus was out shopping and she tells me she doesn't know what I want. I told her that I posted my list on the blog. She says that the kids didn't tell her anything. So I get to help her pick out what I want so the kids can give them to me.

I enjoyed shopping this year because we have the two grandkids with us. I also enjoyed shopping for the missus because I found something she really wants. Something I didn't expect to find because it's to good for the stores to normally have in stock.

My son flies in from Edmonton on Thursday (my wife's birthday) and he just wants clothes so we get to go shopping again. I prefer to do that. Just take the kids shopping and say "pick out what you want". I mean, since I get to cruise the mall parking lot and eat food court food why would I want to add to the torment by having to wrap?

See? I've become my dad.

My dad was great though. We had all the excitement of opening the presents and he saw that, and it was worth many times the money he had paid. You have too wait until YOU'RE the parent to know those things. Now I watch the kids and a NEW wave of kids having all the fun and I feel blessed for having been able to make it happen.

I know I'm blessed which is why I'm also giving to those who aren't so blessed this year more than I ever have in the past. I wish you could have seen the looks on the toy drive firefighter's faces when I pushed the cart full of toys towards them and said "here ya go fellas".

"ALL of it?"

"Yep."