A Christmas Story- Personal Narrative

Author's Note: I wrote this piece as my personal narrative and it is set in the scene of Christmas morning in 2004. At this time I was six years old and contained a lot of energy, as most six-year-old's do. This piece explains how my Christmas went and my absolute favorite gift I received that year.

Fading away from my dreams and back into reality, my eyes flutter open. A tingling sensation runs through my veins feeling just as needles do while I continue to become awake. Today is Christmas, the glorious day of joy, hope, and happiness. Out of motivation, I roll out of bed and stumble onto the floor. The frosted window across the room is calling my name. Peering through the window on my front lawn, I notice there's a blanket of pure and untouched snow. Towering over the gorgeous nature, I felt as if the air was sucked right out of me. With that in mind, I raced over to my brother Jack's bedroom. I pounded on his door like there was no tomorrow. When there was a faint response of who knows what, I blasted through the door while shouting at the top of my lungs, "It's Christmas!!". 

For whatever reason, my older sister, Katie, was still asleep after all of that ruckus I created. Which made me think, if that didn't get her to wake up, I guess I will have to be louder! Therefore I thought up a new waking-up-routine. Shaking her like a leaf on a fall tree and yelling 'Christmas time' repeatedly seemed to do the trick. Katie wasn't necessarily sending off the sunshine waves for the next few minutes. Though, we all sat at the top of the staircase, together, waiting until it was a safe time to wake mom and dad up with just as much energy as the previous times. Eagerness is eating me alive. For only down the steps and around the corner awaits the feeling of togetherness and exhilaration.

Around 6:30 A.M., Katie, Jack, and I cannot wait any longer; we all dart down the stairs heading towards mom and dad's room. Immediately as we reached our parent's bedroom door, like I did to my brother's door, we walked right through it. Like a stampede, we bolted to their bedside and started jumping for joy in our fuzzy pajamas. Mom and dad began rubbing their eyes like they were tired or something, but eventually stood up. Dad went off to fetch the video camera while the rest of us waited impatiently in the kitchen.

Dad returns with the camera and promptly flips the screen open. My face is recorded in the film first followed by our dog, Bjorn. My smile was broader than the horizon on an open field as I watch Dad back into the family room. From this I know that momentarily we will be comforting ourselves with giant boxes tied off with big red bows. 

"Come on in now!" my dad proclaims. The three of us jam through the door, all attempting to be first. Once we are all settled, mom tells Katie, Jack, and I to search for the plastic pickle. Whoever comes out of the Christmas tree with the pickle first gets to open the first present, so I'm determined to be the lucky one. I stuck my head into the prickly mess with no pickle in sight. What I heard, though, was my sister shouting, "I got it! I got it!" Leaving me last place yet another year.

After rounding up all of our gifts, Katie began by peeling away the wrapping of a blue snowflake present that was as tall as me! Katie revealed what was in the box; it's a humongous, stuffed animal, panda bear!! She is obsessed with that animal, so she delightedly let out an ear-piercing shriek. Next in line was Jack, then me, followed by mom and dad each opening a present. Jack received some Lego toy that I don't really care for, but apparently he does. Abruptly, everyone's attention was dished over to me signaling to pick my first present of the 2004 Christmas.

Scanning my pile, I spot one gift that is unlike the rest. This particular one has four flat sides of a box and the corner of two linking sides are curved where they meet; I found this interesting. Crouching down, I scooped up the gift. The uniquely shaped box made a popping noise when I touched the curved corner, must be plastic edging, I considered. Although, the other corners felt like cardboard. "This is the one!" I state, brushing my hand across the face of the present. I lifted my hand, then began tearing up the wrapping paper hunting for the glory inside.

Bestowed upon me is the most fantastic thing a 6 year old could ever receive. A breath-taking, white, furry little ball that moves by itself is anything I could ever imagine to lay my eyes on. Go-Go My Walking Pup is the name of this wondrous toy that rolls along on it's little paws barking and all. Hollering to the world, with my jaw dropped, "AHHHHH!!!!! THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED!! Thank you, thank you! Mom and dad... and the store, THANK YOU!" Irresistibly, I ripped open the sealed cardboard and plugged in the batteries. Ruff-ruff, is the first noise that came out of the electronic puppy.

Advancing through the morning, numerous other admirable gifts were given. Currently, my most beloved present still stands as the one that is able to maneuver without my assistance. At only 9:15 A.M., this Christmas day has been toppled over with love and closeness of my family members. Along with feelings of admiration from my toy, I'm also honored to have my parents know me so well as to get me the perfect present. Placing that perfect present in the car, our family hopped into the mini-van and headed off to Grandma and Grandpa's house to re-experience the love and closeness on a whole different level. Of which is with three or four other families rather than one. During the time I was visualizing our time at Grandma's, my eyelids grew heavy. After two or three weighted blinks, I dozed off to sleep once again.