Christmas Presents Past
A memoir of Christmas Presents58 total reviews
Comment from Kooky Clown
I liked this tale as it reminds of the Christmases I had as a child and later of when our children were growing up. I have the same thing with my wife I get to put the lights up and the tree but the decorating of it and the decorations around the house are all done by her. It must be a woman thing.
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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I liked this tale as it reminds of the Christmases I had as a child and later of when our children were growing up. I have the same thing with my wife I get to put the lights up and the tree but the decorating of it and the decorations around the house are all done by her. It must be a woman thing.
Comment Written 03-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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Thank You, very much. I do think you are right about the woman thing!
Comment from giraffmang
Hi there,
you did a nice job with this piece. It is very conversational which works well here.
A few things I jotted down as I was reading though-
I realized now that our little family - I think if you're using 'now' then it should probably be realise.
I think that it's only when you're older, you really appreciated these things more. We're more attuned to viewing how things really were/are as adults. You don't realised a lot of things, such as wealth, when you were little and certainly less so before the advent of the internet as the exposure to other ways of life / lifestyle were very limited.
explained to my mother and father, "look what Santa left me."- may be better to start the dialogue here with a capital.
. He did not say any thing - perhaps anything as a single word here.
A man does have one other responsibility get lots of great presents.- maybe insert a dash after responsibility.
All the best
GMG
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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Hi there,
you did a nice job with this piece. It is very conversational which works well here.
A few things I jotted down as I was reading though-
I realized now that our little family - I think if you're using 'now' then it should probably be realise.
I think that it's only when you're older, you really appreciated these things more. We're more attuned to viewing how things really were/are as adults. You don't realised a lot of things, such as wealth, when you were little and certainly less so before the advent of the internet as the exposure to other ways of life / lifestyle were very limited.
explained to my mother and father, "look what Santa left me."- may be better to start the dialogue here with a capital.
. He did not say any thing - perhaps anything as a single word here.
A man does have one other responsibility get lots of great presents.- maybe insert a dash after responsibility.
All the best
GMG
Comment Written 02-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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Thank you very much for the review and your suggestions!
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As a follow up, I have made most of your suggested changes. Thank you, I need all the help I can get!
Comment from oliver818
This is a nice story. You describe your life in an interesting way, defined by christmases which makes it unusual and fun to read. Thanks for sharing this and best of luck with the competition
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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This is a nice story. You describe your life in an interesting way, defined by christmases which makes it unusual and fun to read. Thanks for sharing this and best of luck with the competition
Comment Written 02-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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Thank you very much!
Comment from Elizabeth Emerald
Charming piece. This may well be a winner. Absolutely delightful--sly touches of wry humor as to decorating the tree. Brilliant punchline!
Sugg:
My first memory must have been [WHEN I WAS] about six.
It was round COMMA about six or so feet across, and gave my dad a heck of a time ...
I liked to read even then, and was [sugg: pick one: astonished and amazed]
My parents never exchanged more than one gift [sugg omit: for each other]. Thinking about it now COMMA I am sure they spent all they could afford on their two boys, so little was left for them.
He did not say [any thing=>anything] and all she said was, "thank you".
A man does have one other responsibility COLON get lots of great presents.
I told Zoe I had found a present that was similar [TO ONE] that just sold for $10,000
Three months later (having gained 3 pounds) she went on a shopping spree of a [life time=>lifetime].
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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Charming piece. This may well be a winner. Absolutely delightful--sly touches of wry humor as to decorating the tree. Brilliant punchline!
Sugg:
My first memory must have been [WHEN I WAS] about six.
It was round COMMA about six or so feet across, and gave my dad a heck of a time ...
I liked to read even then, and was [sugg: pick one: astonished and amazed]
My parents never exchanged more than one gift [sugg omit: for each other]. Thinking about it now COMMA I am sure they spent all they could afford on their two boys, so little was left for them.
He did not say [any thing=>anything] and all she said was, "thank you".
A man does have one other responsibility COLON get lots of great presents.
I told Zoe I had found a present that was similar [TO ONE] that just sold for $10,000
Three months later (having gained 3 pounds) she went on a shopping spree of a [life time=>lifetime].
Comment Written 02-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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Thank you very much for the review and the suggestions!
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As a follow up I have made the changes you suggested. Thank you so much, I need all the help I can get!
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Glad to help--great story!
Comment from RPSaxena
Hello Terry Broxson,
It's a nice piece of General Non-Fiction having lucid as well as perfectly matching the theme wording, smooth flow throughout from the beginning to the end, and beautifully depicting its theme.
Picture complements the story.
Good Luck in the contest.
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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Hello Terry Broxson,
It's a nice piece of General Non-Fiction having lucid as well as perfectly matching the theme wording, smooth flow throughout from the beginning to the end, and beautifully depicting its theme.
Picture complements the story.
Good Luck in the contest.
Comment Written 02-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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Thank You very much!
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Terry Broxson, Most Welcome!
With best wishes,
~ RP
Comment from nomi338
What a wonderful story. I do not celebrate Christmas any longer, but I do remember how I felt when getting something special as a gift. I am really enjoying your stories about your life. I might have to check you out, we could be relatives. Since the advent of Ancestry I have discovered so many cousins, from first all the way to sixth. I love them all. I can hardly wait until your next post. Great job of storytelling.
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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What a wonderful story. I do not celebrate Christmas any longer, but I do remember how I felt when getting something special as a gift. I am really enjoying your stories about your life. I might have to check you out, we could be relatives. Since the advent of Ancestry I have discovered so many cousins, from first all the way to sixth. I love them all. I can hardly wait until your next post. Great job of storytelling.
Comment Written 02-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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You are a real jewel! Thank you very much! If we are not cousins, we should be.
Comment from Robert Zimmerman
Hello Terry.
Let me first say, this is a real story. Writing has to come from the heart and this is a great example of that. I read the words, and I felt the story. Writing without passion is just words. I congratulate you on such a fine, well-written story.
I started life the same year you did and I can identify with many of the events of your story. I, too, cherish the memories of youth and special times at Christmas.
This is very well done and I wish you the best of luck in the contest.
Robert
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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Hello Terry.
Let me first say, this is a real story. Writing has to come from the heart and this is a great example of that. I read the words, and I felt the story. Writing without passion is just words. I congratulate you on such a fine, well-written story.
I started life the same year you did and I can identify with many of the events of your story. I, too, cherish the memories of youth and special times at Christmas.
This is very well done and I wish you the best of luck in the contest.
Robert
Comment Written 02-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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Dang, Robert, Thank You Very Much!
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You are very welcome.
Comment from Cass Carlton
Dear Terry, Your recollections of Christmas in your childhood are as vivid as my own. I was born in 1940, the year Australia went to war and some of those early years were frugal to say the least. My mother LOVED Christmas and used to wrap all the kids' pressies on Christmas Eve. This was a tradition I followed with my own two sons, eating mince pies and quaffing lemonade while we wrapped and placed all the treasures for the next morning under the tree. Once it was all done we'd close the door on the tree to save it from the two cats who loved to "play" with the tinsel and the ornaments. My husband passed away in February of 2019 and I live in an aged care facility where I am very content and happy. I will be seeing my children and families over Christmas and we'll have a lovely time together. And the memories of those years ago Yuletide occasions will come flooding back, with tender, bitter-sweetness. But, I wouldn't have it any other way. cheers Cass
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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Dear Terry, Your recollections of Christmas in your childhood are as vivid as my own. I was born in 1940, the year Australia went to war and some of those early years were frugal to say the least. My mother LOVED Christmas and used to wrap all the kids' pressies on Christmas Eve. This was a tradition I followed with my own two sons, eating mince pies and quaffing lemonade while we wrapped and placed all the treasures for the next morning under the tree. Once it was all done we'd close the door on the tree to save it from the two cats who loved to "play" with the tinsel and the ornaments. My husband passed away in February of 2019 and I live in an aged care facility where I am very content and happy. I will be seeing my children and families over Christmas and we'll have a lovely time together. And the memories of those years ago Yuletide occasions will come flooding back, with tender, bitter-sweetness. But, I wouldn't have it any other way. cheers Cass
Comment Written 02-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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Cass, Thank you very much! You should write that story, it is great! Terry.
Comment from NANCY V. FORREST
What a wonderful love story and beautiful Christmas story! You tell it with warmth and feeling and genuine sentiment. It feels like Christmas. Nice work.
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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What a wonderful love story and beautiful Christmas story! You tell it with warmth and feeling and genuine sentiment. It feels like Christmas. Nice work.
Comment Written 02-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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Thank you very much for the review!
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:-)
Comment from VJWild
I love this! Thanks for sharing, it brought joy to my heart! I like the chronological timeline; there was probably a lot more you wanted to say, but I think it would have been too long. You hit the important points in your life... I loved how you used the memory of your parents and your love for Zoe as inspiration to provide a Christmas miracle!
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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I love this! Thanks for sharing, it brought joy to my heart! I like the chronological timeline; there was probably a lot more you wanted to say, but I think it would have been too long. You hit the important points in your life... I loved how you used the memory of your parents and your love for Zoe as inspiration to provide a Christmas miracle!
Comment Written 02-Dec-2021
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2021
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Thank You very much, you are very kind! Terry.
