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Not your average gift
  
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The obsession over technology is growing by the second. People are constantly buying the newest cell phone, computer or video game.
Kids nowadays also are caught up in the mix, owning cell phones at the age of 7, having three different kinds of video game devices and rocking out to their own iPod classic, holding up to 3,000 songs.
But there are times when a person chooses to go against the grain and opts for the complete opposite of mainstream technical gear and goes for the classics. In my case, that person would be my 8-year-old nephew Samuel Yoxsimer. This year for Christmas at the top of his list was an old-fashioned typewriter. Don’t worry, you read that correctly — his No. 1 gift this year was an old-fashioned typewriter.
To some people this request may seem surprising, but anyone who knows Sam would not be surprised. He is not your typical 8-year-old. Sure, he likes to play outside, get dirty and watch television, but he also loves to read, write stories, dance and paint.
Sam’s idea for the typewriter came after seeing one in the Parker library. After getting in trouble for using the typewriter by a library volunteer, he decided he wanted his own. He wants to write his stories using the old machine. Stories inspired by the books he reads. Books filled with adventure and fairy tales like “Kenny and the Dragon,” “The Spiderwick Chronicles” and “The Tale of Despereaux,” which are just a few of his favorites.
Sam says these books, with the unique characters and faraway lands, give him ideas and inspiration on what he wants to write in his book and that is why he likes to write his own stories.
Sam’s stories are never real, but he also wants his readers to understand the main idea without it being too complicated.
Not only does Sam want the content of his stories to be interesting, he also focuses on the cover and the title. He wants the covers to catch people’s eyes and he wants the titles to be written in box letters to draw in the readers.
Even though Sam enjoys watching movies, they don’t compare to the books he reads. He says books allow him to put more detail to the story than a movie, which to him is more interesting. When he pictures the stories of the books in his head, he is able to picture things out of the ordinary. He tries to add to the surroundings and settings of the stories.
Sam not only writes stories, he has a few journals he writes in, too. He has a traveling journal he takes on trips and he also has a journal he draws in and writes in about the stresses of second grade.
After knowing Sam’s immense desire for a typewriter, I knew I had to come through this Christmas. So with some help from his mom, my younger sister and I were able to find an Underwood 5 typewriter from the 1950s on Craigslist. The classic machine is in pretty good shape, even having a working ribbon after all these years.
I truly believe Sam is wise beyond his years. His desire to expand his horizons in a variety of manners never ceases to amaze me. I cherish the moments we dance together in the basement and the mature conversations we have about books, movies and life in general.
And as I write this column, I can’t help but hold back my tears, because I am so blessed to have such an incredible person in my life who inspires me every day to look beyond the cover to see the wonderful stories that lie in every corner of life.
What is your favorite or most memorable Christmas gift?
Kids nowadays also are caught up in the mix, owning cell phones at the age of 7, having three different kinds of video game devices and rocking out to their own iPod classic, holding up to 3,000 songs.
But there are times when a person chooses to go against the grain and opts for the complete opposite of mainstream technical gear and goes for the classics. In my case, that person would be my 8-year-old nephew Samuel Yoxsimer. This year for Christmas at the top of his list was an old-fashioned typewriter. Don’t worry, you read that correctly — his No. 1 gift this year was an old-fashioned typewriter.
To some people this request may seem surprising, but anyone who knows Sam would not be surprised. He is not your typical 8-year-old. Sure, he likes to play outside, get dirty and watch television, but he also loves to read, write stories, dance and paint.
Sam’s idea for the typewriter came after seeing one in the Parker library. After getting in trouble for using the typewriter by a library volunteer, he decided he wanted his own. He wants to write his stories using the old machine. Stories inspired by the books he reads. Books filled with adventure and fairy tales like “Kenny and the Dragon,” “The Spiderwick Chronicles” and “The Tale of Despereaux,” which are just a few of his favorites.
Sam says these books, with the unique characters and faraway lands, give him ideas and inspiration on what he wants to write in his book and that is why he likes to write his own stories.
Sam’s stories are never real, but he also wants his readers to understand the main idea without it being too complicated.
Not only does Sam want the content of his stories to be interesting, he also focuses on the cover and the title. He wants the covers to catch people’s eyes and he wants the titles to be written in box letters to draw in the readers.
Even though Sam enjoys watching movies, they don’t compare to the books he reads. He says books allow him to put more detail to the story than a movie, which to him is more interesting. When he pictures the stories of the books in his head, he is able to picture things out of the ordinary. He tries to add to the surroundings and settings of the stories.
Sam not only writes stories, he has a few journals he writes in, too. He has a traveling journal he takes on trips and he also has a journal he draws in and writes in about the stresses of second grade.
After knowing Sam’s immense desire for a typewriter, I knew I had to come through this Christmas. So with some help from his mom, my younger sister and I were able to find an Underwood 5 typewriter from the 1950s on Craigslist. The classic machine is in pretty good shape, even having a working ribbon after all these years.
I truly believe Sam is wise beyond his years. His desire to expand his horizons in a variety of manners never ceases to amaze me. I cherish the moments we dance together in the basement and the mature conversations we have about books, movies and life in general.
And as I write this column, I can’t help but hold back my tears, because I am so blessed to have such an incredible person in my life who inspires me every day to look beyond the cover to see the wonderful stories that lie in every corner of life.
What is your favorite or most memorable Christmas gift?
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cornico wrote on Dec 22, 2008 6:25 PM:
Second, it did make me think of gifts that got me excited when I was little. Strangely enough, it was a Christmas that I got an electric blanket. The house we lived in ALWAYS seemed cold because of the "cathedral ceilings"(fancy words for "a place where all the warm air becomes trapped"!). So, opening that wonderous fluffy blue blanket that had THREE, count them, THREE different settings seemed the most luxurious item in the world to me!
That being said, there was one drawback - it made bed soooo comfy that I had a harder time getting out of it for school in the mornings!
Happy Holidays to All! "