Upon Further Consideration

I have gone thoroughly and completely overboard this year, far exceeding whatever limit I might have imagined for Christmas gifts for my son. Which is ironic, really — not only because budgets are precariously balanced here these days (if at all), but because I've been trying to convince my wife (as I try most every year) that my son might benefit from fewer, more carefully chosen gifts.

Each year, she'll suggest a dozen different items, a list that will be narrowed down after some discussion — and yet, somehow it becomes even larger! Christmas morning seems to wash over my son like a wave, with gifts opened in furious bursts of torn wrapping paper, fleeting attention (if it fails to catch his interest), and a leap toward the next gift-wrapped object he can find (even if it wasn't meant for him).

We're not particularly observant, but it's important to me that he come to know Christmas as something more than simply a gift-giving (or in his case, gift receiving) holiday.

Yet these gifts seemed just so perfect — so very right! — they just wouldn't wait. My gift is being able to give them.

Last year wasn't like this. I doubt next year will be, either. You only get to be a six-year-old on Christmas morning once.