Article Contributed on: 12/6/2007 10:21:31 PM
It's no surprise that Christmas is upon us. A visit to the mall (even 2 months ago) would easily prove that fact. The sad truth is, a visit to our house even yesterday would not have revealed a single clue...
All our Christmas items are in storage and have been for about a month now. Well, nearly all; we've kept out the inflatable tree, (that I'll have to put on the deck very soon if it's going to happen), as well as a set of lit Christmas Bells - literally as old as I am - that hang from the ceiling year round.
And it's not an acceptable circumstance, frankly. Christmas is nigh upon us and I cannot let it pass without a single sign of the season being present.for my children. So earlier this week I bought a pre-lit tree which I deployed earlier this evening. It's thin and lame and no competition to the tree we used last year (currently in storage), but that's not what the kids will remember; they'll simply remember that we always had a tree.
Oh, and presents -- you've got to have presents under the tree, right? So when I bought the tree I also picked up a few doo-dads to go underneath. Not the least of which was a Light-Bulb-Bake Oven for "M."
Now I'm sure that there are those out there who will immediately jump to the conclusion that I'm "imposing a failed patriarchical model" upon my daughter. Fine for them.
But I'm equally sure that many will realize that, if we allow our daughter to lend a hand in the baking that goes on in the BIG oven, she's duly qualified to add water to mix and place the result under a 60 watt lightbulb for 20 minutes.
And not to worry: Since I am a very capable cook in my own regard, (honestly!), I also intend to teach my boys how to prepare food. I just won't be getting them a lightbulb oven.
Instead, I'll teach them how to cook over a campfire. And we'll have hunted, killed and cleaned the meat we cook/eat. And I'll also be sure to include my daughter. After all, we'll need desserts.
I'll have to remember to bring a generator. Lightbulbs don't light themselves...
Chris Stone is a slightly different - hopefully better - Father and man than he was yesterday...