Two Christmas stories to brighten your day

Ready for two stories that will make you smile, but for vastly different reasons?

First, please take a moment to visit my friend Kevin Milne's blog. Read his post about their family Christmas Jar and his darling Emma's incredible gesture. Then come right back. Promise?

http://kevinamilne.blogspot.com/2008/12/christmas-jars-frozen-oreos-and.html

And now mine:

Today Kason, Koleson and I ran a guys-only errand to Walmart so I could buy some shaving cream. As we approached the door Kason (age 5) asked for change to put in the Salvation Army bucket. How can you resist the magical ding-ding of the bell and the hanging red bucket?

I emptied my pockets and came up with 85 cents. I placed it in his hand and off he went to drop it in the bucket.

He quickly caught up to us just inside the automatic doors and asked if he could play the toy crane game.

"Bud, I don't have any quarters, you just dropped them all in the bucket outside."

His eyes twinkled. "Not ALL of them," he smiled and opened his hand to reveal a single quarter.

"KASON WRIGHT!"

"But you gave me a lot, Dad."

Now a good father would have marched his son back out there and watched closely as he dropped the quarter where it belonged.

I am not a good father.

I laughed, called him sneaky, and bought my shaving cream.

On the way out Kason once again asked if he could play the toy crane game. "I want to win that stuffed monkey dressed like an elf!"

"With your DIRTY quarter?" I asked.

Important aside: Kason has never won anything in the toy crane machine on his own. He always has me or one of his sisters help line up the metals claw and give him the best shot at success.

"So can I?"

"Fine. It will be a good lesson. I'm not helping."

So he put in his stolen quarter, eyeballed the target, moved the claw carefully over it, and pressed the button.

Hours later I'm telling this story and Kason is upstairs fast asleep, snuggling with a monkey dressed like an elf.

And there goes my Father of the Year Award!