Enjoy the Season, Young Parents

All my Christmas shopping and wrapping are done, but I kind of wish I was out shopping today.  I think more than shopping, I would like to turn back time and experience the 'young parent syndrome' again; the excitement of playing Santa.


Back in the late 1970s, I would have never classed ourselves as poor, but as a stay-at-home mom, we sort of lived from paycheck to paycheck.  The kids were little and didn't really have particular toys on their list so that made shopping for them much easier.  We could wait until the last minute to shop and usually did because inevitably payday fell just a few days before Christmas, or in some instances, on Christmas Eve itself.  We never panicked for there was always toys, toys galore. 


You'd be surprised how much toys are discounted on Christmas Eve if you know where to look.  That place would be all the stores that don't normally carry toys; OTASCO, for example.  Remember OTASCO?  Oklahoma Tire and Supply Company.  OTASCO to the rescue.  Steven was just at the age where he could maneuver a little motorized vehicle and we found one that OTASCO was practically giving away on Christmas Eve.  That made Santa very happy.


Enjoy the season, young parents!  This season of life passes ever so quickly.


I love you.


And no, we didn't have a babysitter.  We'd all look at the toys, Santa would nod, and one of us would take the kids either to the car or across the store while Santa did his magic!  It all worked out perfectly just as was intended.