4flats
Well-Known Member
Well, Christmas is a little over a week away and I am finally starting to get into the spirit, thanks to all of you. If it were not for FABO, I wouldn't really get into the swing of it until Christmas morning when it is too late to enjoy it!
There is one or two Christmas memories I wanted to share. About 6 years ago, my oldest daughter decided that she wanted this remote-controlled thing called "shellshocker" for Christmas. For those of you who are not familliar, it looked like a neon green, alien, armadillo with big fins that closed-up around it's body or spread out to act like wheels and a long articulated tail with a scorpion-type stinger on the end. Not the typical wish for a 6 year old girl, but she was absolutely in love. Like any dad, my princess' wish is my command, so I went all over town and paid an exorbinant ammount for, perhaps the last one for sale on planet earth. We hid it well and made sure the battery pack (sold seperately) was fully charged for Christmas morning. The look of pure joy on her face when she tore the wrapping paper off made it all worthwhile. I grabbed my tiny screwdriver and set about "Dad's work" of installing batteries, and took the controls to show her how to pilot her new best friend around the living room.
What followed was like something out of a "Chuckie" movie. When I switched on the toy, it's eyes glowed red and the thingflew across the living room - fast! I gave it a little reverse throtle to stop it and the whole thing flipped over SLAMMING the tail on the ground in front of it (it's signature killing move)! The cats left the zip code. All was silent. My little angel was cowering behind her mother, who for some reason, was now glaring at me with those "what the hell were you thinking" eyes. I gave it a few more tries, but there was no way to move that atrocity around without fast, viloent thrashing. At this point I kind of wanted to keep it for myself, but cooler heads prevailed and we returned it and let my little one have a shopping spree with the refund.
My second daughter (I think she was 3 at the time) recieved a "Tickle-me-Elmo THX" from her grandparents. She didn't ask for it, but it was the hottest toy that year, and I'm sure my mother went through a rough time getting it. As soon as Elmo started laughing and shaking, my #2 took off screaming and crying for Mommy! I got to give Mom the "what the hell were you thinking" stare, but not for long, I knew exactly.
Merry Christmas, all! Please share your stories of gifts that didn't go as planned. If you have little ones, don't worry, the things that don't go "right" sometimes turn out to be even more precious than the things that do. Above all, remember that what makes Christmas great is not the presents, but the presence.
There is one or two Christmas memories I wanted to share. About 6 years ago, my oldest daughter decided that she wanted this remote-controlled thing called "shellshocker" for Christmas. For those of you who are not familliar, it looked like a neon green, alien, armadillo with big fins that closed-up around it's body or spread out to act like wheels and a long articulated tail with a scorpion-type stinger on the end. Not the typical wish for a 6 year old girl, but she was absolutely in love. Like any dad, my princess' wish is my command, so I went all over town and paid an exorbinant ammount for, perhaps the last one for sale on planet earth. We hid it well and made sure the battery pack (sold seperately) was fully charged for Christmas morning. The look of pure joy on her face when she tore the wrapping paper off made it all worthwhile. I grabbed my tiny screwdriver and set about "Dad's work" of installing batteries, and took the controls to show her how to pilot her new best friend around the living room.
What followed was like something out of a "Chuckie" movie. When I switched on the toy, it's eyes glowed red and the thingflew across the living room - fast! I gave it a little reverse throtle to stop it and the whole thing flipped over SLAMMING the tail on the ground in front of it (it's signature killing move)! The cats left the zip code. All was silent. My little angel was cowering behind her mother, who for some reason, was now glaring at me with those "what the hell were you thinking" eyes. I gave it a few more tries, but there was no way to move that atrocity around without fast, viloent thrashing. At this point I kind of wanted to keep it for myself, but cooler heads prevailed and we returned it and let my little one have a shopping spree with the refund.
My second daughter (I think she was 3 at the time) recieved a "Tickle-me-Elmo THX" from her grandparents. She didn't ask for it, but it was the hottest toy that year, and I'm sure my mother went through a rough time getting it. As soon as Elmo started laughing and shaking, my #2 took off screaming and crying for Mommy! I got to give Mom the "what the hell were you thinking" stare, but not for long, I knew exactly.
Merry Christmas, all! Please share your stories of gifts that didn't go as planned. If you have little ones, don't worry, the things that don't go "right" sometimes turn out to be even more precious than the things that do. Above all, remember that what makes Christmas great is not the presents, but the presence.
