Old gifts.

Moving into our first house has meant gathering boxes of junk that we have left deposited in various attics, basements and storage units during the course of our college years. It seems that every time we moved, there were a few boxes filled with things that we just couldn't throw away, but wouldn't have room for in our new place. Now, we have an attic. And a ton of boxes that have things in them that we can't remember why we kept.
Some gifts, though, have been used for years. So, here's my homage to those Gifts That Have Stood the Test of Time or Things I've Noticed Lately and Was Bored Enough to Write About:

On my 15th birthday, my mom and dad gave me a cross from James Avery and The Student Bible. I've broken a chain or two, but have worn the cross nearly every day for the past 15 years. That and my wedding ring are the only two pieces of jewelry I wear on a daily basis. (I checked the website and apparently that cross is no longer available.) I still have and use the Bible as well.

The first Christmas I spent in McMinnville (1995), Nannie and Pa gave me a Sunbeam Cuddle-Up: The Heated Throw with a Brain. It sounds like a weird puppet horror film for toddlers, but it actually provides a much less sinister service. We've spread it on our bed underneath the comforter. Each night, about 45 minutes before I go to bed, I turn it on and it heats up the sheets for me. Every winter since moving to Tennessee, after a month or so of complaining about crawling into icy cold sheets each night, I remember the Cuddle-Up. Ah, pure bliss.

At some point early in our dating years, Jackie and David gave me a red plaid flannel sack filled with corn. Not as an insult. Stick it in the microwave for 3 minutes, cuddle up under a blanket on the couch with the warmed sack on your toes or tummy and you will have the best TV watching or book reading experience ever. You can also stick the sack in the freezer for a few hours and use it as a cold compress. I've never used it that way. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... it doesn't matter. My toes are like ice and I always feel chilled. When I've got my sack heated up and cuddle up with it, I finally feel warm.


Dave and I even still use the first Christmas gifts we ever exchanged. I gave him a James Avery cross key ring that still provides excellent key gathering service today. It's not as shiny as the one in the picture, but you can tell it's well-loved.


My gift has a more traumatic story. I received Pollito the Penguin in December 1994. He slept in my bed for nearly 11 years. I never took him on vacation because I was scared of losing him. Instead he guarded my place like a good Watch Penguin. When we adopted Echo, Dave and I talked about what we should do with Pollito. We didn't want Echo to mistake him for one of her toys. Since Echo wasn't allowed on the bed, we thought Pollito would be safe. And he was. Until one day ...
Yes, I didn't notice I had accidentally knocked him off the bed. She only had a few minutes with him, but she did her damage. So, Pollito will be boxed up with other Things To Keep and stored safely in the attic. Maybe I'll use my new FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer to make sure nothing else can get to him.

Poor Pollito.