Abstract
Every Christmas, kids across the world awaken in the morning with the hope that Santa has brought them the toy or toys that they have wanted all year long. For some their hopes have been backed up by hints from Mommy or Daddy, others the tale tale signs of shopping bags and big wrapped presents underneath the tree give way to their assurance that their toy sits and waits their un-opening. For most, though, they get some toys but never the one, they were truly hoping for. With all the presents under the tree the perception of getting that one special toy is misleading, but for the ones that get it, it's like hitting the jackpot.
As a kid, Christmas is the time of year to really rake in those new toys. Preparation for this day starts months in advance. I remember my mom getting the Sears or J.C.
Cropped image of shooting for Transformers with th...
Optimus Prime
Transformers: Armada (comics)Penney catalogs, and me and my brother and sister spending hours dreaming of getting every one of those toys pictured within those pages. One year the biggest toy among the boys was the Transformers, and the granddaddy of the Transformers was Optimus Prime. I had been doing everything a kid need to do to get that special toy, and I thought I had it nailed until Christmas was over, the paper thrown away, and underneath the tree laid bare, but no Optimus Prime. My perception was that I had gotten my special toy that year but in the end it was shattered.
The preparation for Christmas can start months before the big day gets here. I usually started kissing my parents behind in the fall by raking leaves and doing yard work with my dad. My siblings and I buttered up my mom by helping out with the...