My Favorite Christmas Gift Ever!

Now I think that every gift my parents have ever given me has brought me pleasure, excitement, and fun. They have made me feel grown, allowed me to play, and some even letting me feel pretty at times. Thinking about it, however, there is one that ranks above all the rest as making me feel the most excited, the most grown, and allowing me to have the most fun ever- my doll house. I can still remember that Christmas morning. We lived in a little two bedroom home. It was so pretty, all yellow with a white porch in the front. I was four at the time. It would be our last Christmas in the home, seeing as my sister would come along the next year! I remember quietly crawling out of my bed and making my way into the living room. The room was dark, and I could barely see from the light just beginning to come up outside. Daddy had had to work the night before, and so I knew to be quiet. As my eyes adjusted to the dark room, I saw it. There in the dark, sat the most wonderful thing I could imagine- a Barbie doll house. At age four my Barbie collection had already been growing for some time. Even with no furniture or a roof to put over their heads, I had played happily for some time. Now, sitting on the living room floor, I sat to examine what little I could of the home. Inside, arranged perfectly, sat Barbie furniture as well. Five rooms total- three small rooms were upstairs and two large rooms fixed downstairs. One room was set up as a dressing room. It included a purple chaise, which opened to hold clothes. A vanity attached to a large mirror, which attached to a fold out dressing area. In another room sat a waser and dryer, which actually spun the clothes, while the washer looked as though it filled with water. The bed that I had asked for more than any other toy just the year before, soon found a home as well. It was a canopy bed with all lace bedding. A light at the top of the bed could be spun after closing the curtains. Downstairs, a kitchen was all arranged. The large stove included an oven which opened. A small bit of counter hung over each side where shelves were built in underneath and two bar stools sat. The refrigerator included an ice machine and the long counter attached to the sink held a dishwasher with pull out drawers. The bathroom was huge with medicine cabinet behind the mirror and shelf to hold towels. The sink pumped out water when filled up! No, I didn't see all of this at first. It took some time to make out all the furniture. Still, I snuck back to bed happier and more curious than ever. Later that day, my mother helped me set up a grocery store set as well. It was so cute. The freezer section attached at the bottom of the boxed food section. It came with shopping cart and basket. The checkout lane came with a register and moving belt for the groceries. Years later, I would receive a living room set, which my mother also help me set up. Over the years, my doll house became one of the most important toys to me. Even when cds came into play, never did playing Barbies leave my mind. When my sister received hers (at age four, also) it was if the playing increased. In that house, I was allowed to create my own home, filled with all the characters I wanted. I changed the home around more times than can be counted. It wasn't until sometime later that I found out that Daddy had built it himself. Of course, it has been some time since I've played Barbies. Today I caught "Comfort and Joy" on tv. There is a scene where she and her husband are setting up a Barbie doll house for their little girl and I couldn't help but think of my old doll house and how I can't wait to do the same for my little girl. As said before, every year I receive gifts that are heartfelt and that I love very much. My Barbie doll house was by far my favorite however. What is so funny is that Daddy seemed surprised to hear years later that I had loved my Barbie doll house as much as I did. I could not believe it. I will always think about my doll house with the happiest of thoughts. The fun that it brought me was better than anyother toy ever gave me.