For some, glass goblets can be a little miracle
When I was young, mom usually left us with grandma when she went shopping. But one rainy December day, she took my brothers and me with her... to a toy store!
“Just to look,” she said, as we headed inside.
As my brothers raced down the aisle, my mother hurried to keep up with them. I lagged behind gaping at all the wonders. There were dolls that said “Mama,” when you tilted them. Dress-up sets with high heels and pearls hung above Easy-Bake ovens. One shelf had plush cats and dogs with long fur and their own plastic brush for grooming! It was like walking into a treasure chest.
I made my way down the aisle, when a box on the bottom shelf caught my eye. I stared with my mouth open.
“Oooh,” I whispered. “Wow.” Inside was a set of eight deep blue “cut-glass” goblets. I picked up the box and tilted it this way and that, watching the fluorescent lights bounce off the facets. They were beautiful! I could just see myself serving Kool-Aid in these!Clutching the box to my chest, I looked for my mother. She was one aisle over, looking at the boys’ stuff with my brothers. My leather shoes slapped against the linoleum as I ran to her.
“Oh Mommy!” I said, as I tugged at her coat. “Look! This is what I want for Christmas.” I handed the box up to her.
“These are beautiful, honey,” she said with a smile.
I stood on my tip-toes and clapped my hands. I could tell she liked them, too.
Then she checked the back of the box, and added, “But they’re too expensive.”
My heart fell to my shoes. Too expensive. I had heard those words enough times to know that there was no way around them. My dad worked hard, but it seemed most things were still “too expensive.”
Slowly I walked down the aisle and returned the box to the shelf.
A few moments later my mother joined me. Taking my hand, she asked, “Do you see anything else you would like for Christmas?”
“Maybe some doll cloths,” I said. I didn’t feel like shopping anymore, and we went home.
The next few weeks were filled with excitement: Tree trimming, caroling, cookie baking, and cousins visiting. I was having such a good time that I didn’t think too much about the beautiful deep blue cut-glass goblets.
Christmas morning finally came and my brothers and I raced to the tree. As I sifted through my stocking, my mother handed me a present. I tore off the wrapping paper and froze. The colored Christmas tree lights bounced off the facets of the beautiful deep blue goblets.
“Oh, Mommy, thank you!” I said as I gave her a big hug.
Now, to an adult, this may not seem like a big deal. But to a six-year-old girl, it was a true Christmas miracle, and one that I will remember all my life.