I thought I would share with you some memories of my favorite Christmas gift…so please share your’s with me!
The Dreamy Kitchen. I first laid my eyes on it when I was five years old at Benner’s Grocery Store in Fairfield, Iowa. It was set up as a display near the exit and it was amazing! It was Barbie-sized, though it wasn’t specifically made for Barbie. No granite countertops or stainless-steel appliances, no siree. This kitchen was what all good housewives of the 50′s and 60′s dreamed of. It was pink, yellow and turquoise and filled with plastic Fiesta ware, itty-bitty flatware, tiny boxes of detergent and cereal, and plastic roasts and Jell-O-molds. A turkey turned on the rotisserie and the sink and new-fangled dishwasher had running water. Everything was so real, just in miniature form. I hurt for the Dreamy Kitchen and told Santa so. That Christmas I received a present from Santa. I don’t recall what it was, but it wasn’t the Dreamy Kitchen. I did my best to hide the bitterness. The next year my family relocated to Burlington, Iowa where everything changed…everything, except my desire for the Dreamy Kitchen. Again, Christmas rolled around and I was filled with hope and desire and shared that with the jolly old elf. Again, Santa failed me. How could it be?! It wasn’t until the next year Santa finally realized I was not messing around. I NEEDED a Dreamy Kitchen. Finally…FINALLY…magic happened! There it was under the tree. Oh joy! I played with it until I was practically grown then passed it down to my own children. It’s been played with hard over the years and there are missing and broken pieces. But every once in a while I sneak down in the basement and pull out my Dreamy Kitchen and once I again I can feel the magic that was the Christmas of 1963.
God Bless you Ann and all your wonderful memories. You continue to be such an inspiration to fellow survivors and Christians. May He bring you and your family a wonderful memory-filled celebration of His birthday! Merry Christmas! You continue to be in my prayers, Melindie
I just don’t understand why Santa doesn’t get it right the first time?????? It’s great remembering our best Christmas gift! For me it’s easy, I’m reminded every day. Not due until January 10, 1987 our daughter, Hannah, surprised us by coming into this world around 10 pm on December 25, 1986. I can still vividly picture Dr. Berry holding her up and saying “Hi Mom!” She will forever be my most treasured gift.
Ann, I was about 6 years old and had my sight & ears set on a organ. By golly, Santa got it right that year! My poor family had many hours of awful sounds comming from my room, yet never told me to stop trying. We soon discovered I’m better at listening to music than trying to make it. My neice which is 6 years younger than I eventually got the organ, I’m unsure of where it went from there.
P.S. Ann God blessed this world with Christians such as yourself to help us find the cure for PANCAN. My father passed on in 1993, two years after diagnois. It’s the brave soldiers such as yourself that give us hope for a cure. You are in my prayers daily. Have a Blessed Merry Christmas!
My best Christmas gift EVER was the Christmas of 1963 when my little sister got a Dreamy Kitchen and I finally stopped hearing about it night and day, day and night. A these things develop, I did have to step barefoot on all the tiny, sharp plastic pieces spread from one end of my room to the other. Funny, I never saw her attraction to playing in a kitchen and still don’t today. Now a tiny little ‘take out kitchen’ with tiny plastic bags and tiny little boxes like Chinese comes in…
Oh those little plastic pieces…heaven! All the little forks and coffee cups…the plastic t-bone steaks…at least you had a REAL BED. I slept on a rollaway for 8 years!
Oh Ann, you are so incredibly gifted. I love the way you write! It was so neat to see your story in the newspaper yesterday, too! You are such an inspiration. Love you and always pray for you!! Lois
Ann, I see the messages time after time – you are truley gifted. I admire your love for our lord and your love for your family and friends. I wish for you a memory filled Christmas with your loved ones. I love reading your blogs. Tell Toby Lilly say hi and Merry Christmas (Lilly is my 1 1/2 year old miniture schnauzer). My best memory of Christmas is walking in the snow to my grandmothers house for Chrismas dinner and sharing with my cousins, aunts and uncles, then we would walk back home (2 blocks) to our house and sure enough santa had been there we thought it quite amazing that santa always new when we went to grandma’s. One paticular Christmas eve me and my sister had the life size 3yr old doll which were under the tree as we walked into the house. My brother being younger than us wanted a big truck with a latter on it – he started to cry because there was no gift for him – my dad shut the doror and sure enought it was hidden behind the door – santa forgot to put it my the dolls. Snow and Christmas lights and playing games with family that is what I love to do as an adult – and for the New Year we will be welcoming our first grandson. God Bless Ann much love to you. Dawn Gregory
Beautiful story!!