A Mommy Story

With Aunt Dot‘s passing earlier this year went the crazy gifts we received every Christmas. If you don’t know about Aunt Dot, read the archives – it’s a laugh. The last gift she gave us was on Labor Day, when she brought a plastic shopping bag containing stale rainbow Goldfish for Cordy and a ceramic piggy bank and first tooth holder for Mira. And stale cashews for me. A typical Aunt Dot gift.

However, when my mother and aunts were cleaning out Aunt Dot’s apartment, they found something that was clearly intended for us this Christmas. While there was no name on it, we all knew this item was planned for an appearance at my house on December 25. It had been placed carefully in the guest bedroom, where she kept all of her Christmas gifts, waiting for the right sized shopping bag to ferry it to one of my daughters.

And so when my mother started unpacking all of the gifts she brought, Aunt Dot’s contribution showed up as well. While we were unwrapping gifts, I placed this gem in the middle of the floor and turned it on. Suddenly, Aunt Dot was with us, at least in spirit, and we all laughed.

Here is Aunt Dot’s last gift. I had no idea reindeer had cheeks on their noses, and I’m still not sure why it decided to dress like grandma and sit in her rocking chair. A motive for the killing, maybe? I think we’ll keep it around and play it every Christmas in her memory.