I've previously discussed the Christmas my brother and I received our only Christmas gift (yep, just one apiece) from the local Giving Tree. After reading that post, my mom reminded me about a very important part of that Christmas. In addition to the individual gift Dave and I each received, we received a family gift.
That gift was the card game Uno. Just a simple deck of cards. Well, special cards. Uno can't be played with a regular deck. Back then, I bet a deck of Uno cards couldn't have cost more than $1. 26 years later, it only costs $3.99.
As a family, my mom, Dave, and I spent countless evenings sitting around the kitchen table playing Uno and talking. My mom reminded me that although we'd always come home from school and reply to the question of "what did you learn today" with "nothing," when we were playing Uno, Dave and I both opened up and that's how she always learned what was going on with us.
Uno isn't a complicated or fancy game. In fact, it's unbelievably simple. Maybe that was the beauty of it. Whatever it was, it brought our family many nights of fun together and kept our us together during some truly difficult and painful times.
All these years later, whenever I donate to the local Giving Tree at Christmas, I always pick up an Uno game. I hope it brings other families as much joy as it brought mine.
That gift was the card game Uno. Just a simple deck of cards. Well, special cards. Uno can't be played with a regular deck. Back then, I bet a deck of Uno cards couldn't have cost more than $1. 26 years later, it only costs $3.99.
As a family, my mom, Dave, and I spent countless evenings sitting around the kitchen table playing Uno and talking. My mom reminded me that although we'd always come home from school and reply to the question of "what did you learn today" with "nothing," when we were playing Uno, Dave and I both opened up and that's how she always learned what was going on with us.
Uno isn't a complicated or fancy game. In fact, it's unbelievably simple. Maybe that was the beauty of it. Whatever it was, it brought our family many nights of fun together and kept our us together during some truly difficult and painful times.
All these years later, whenever I donate to the local Giving Tree at Christmas, I always pick up an Uno game. I hope it brings other families as much joy as it brought mine.
That made me cry- what a beautiful post. I love the clarity that you speak with LMS.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea about giving something as simple as UNO too.