Toy Bender

One of the most powerful memories for most kids is Christmas time. Whatever happens during this time, for good or bad, it sticks with you forever. As we wind up towards another Christmas/holiday season, I’d like to focus on some of those good memories and share some of my better Christmas stories. Grab a cup of cocoa or your favorite overpriced Starbucks beverage and join me, won’t you?

How I received one of my greatest gifts is perhaps one of my best stories so this one goes first. When I was about 7 years old I was with my parents shopping and I realized something. My last name is Rudolph (Yes, I just gave away my super secret last name) and I had been teased about it since kindergarten. You’d think that I’d hate all things Rudolph the Reindeer related from all the teasing I received, but I don’t. I share a commonality with the reindeer who saved Christmas (really, who else can claim that?) and he taught me in his claymation Christmas special that if you’re a mutant outcast you’ll eventually find the love and acceptance you’ve been looking for all along by running away. It’s really an inspirational tale. Anyway, I figured that if you leave cookies for Santa, why not throw something Rudolph’s way? He saved Christmas, after all. The least he deserves is a little kickback on future, less stormy Christmases. So I then convinced my Mom to buy an ornament for Rudolph so he can hang it on his antlers. Man, I was an adorable child.

So on Christmas Eve, we left out the usual cookies, milk, and the ornament for my main reindeer along with a little note for both Santa and Rudolph explaining what was going on. As was the usual pre-Christmas ritual, I could barely sleep that night having been so excited about the wonderful prospects that lay ahead of me the next morning.

When I awoke early that Christmas morning and ran down the stairs, I found that Rudolph ain’t no chump. It turns out that Rudolph rewards those loyal to him much like MC Hammer did in his heyday. The biggest gift EVER was sitting on the dining room table next to the cookie crumbs and empty glass of milk. Attached to the giant wrapped box was a little thank you note from the reindeer to end all reindeer. When my parents finally awoke ages later and let me tear into Rudolph’s gift, I realized that it was the Ewok village playset!

This thing was fantastic and is a prime example of everything good about playsets back then. I don’t know what kid wouldn’t have gone nuts seeing this thing. What was best about it was that I didn’t even ask for the village and more importantly, I didn’t expect anything by giving Rudolph his little gift. I had learned the most important lesson in my life: Rudolph is a pimp daddy.

If you’d like to share a super special Christmas memory, email it to me or put it in the comments section. Share the love!

Toys, Christmas