genster

All during my childhood my parents would make Christmas presents more fun by being inventive with the wrapping - such as wrapping a mallet up as a Dolly Parton Doll for my brother-in-law, or giving presents that would amuse the receiver. Dad was especially fond of indulging his sense of humour during the holidays (one Roman Catholic friend of mine has a collection of Nun-themed items from my protestant father. She always told him she would convert him.) My father died suddenly, six years ago. He was seventy-eight. I was the only one of the children living at home at the time, with one sister living in our hometown. He spent the evening (Hallowe'en, no less) wrapping Christmas presents, went to bed, and died about 4 am on November 1st.
That first Christmas one of my sisters and her husband did make it home to be with us and Mum. Because Dad had been wrapping gifts early, even the tags had his writing on them. It really felt as though he were there with us. About midway through the gift exchange, my visiting sister opened a gift from Dad that contained a collectable stuffed bear wearing the uniform of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. My other sister, upon seeing the bear, said she had seen the bear when Dad bought it and had told him he could give it to her for Christmas. " He always did that," she claimed, "gave you the gifts I suggested he get for me, and now he is still doing it!" At which point her daughter, who was handing out the presents, gave her the next gift from Dad - a collectable stuffed bear, wearing the uniform of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Unknown to us, he had ordered one of the bears for each of the five daughters. Had Dad physically been sitting in the room, he could not have set it up better, and it was a moment that he would have loved. So, even though he was gone, I felt we had our father with us for one final Christmas, and I think of that moment every time I see MY collectable bear, wearing the uniform of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.