Ed Smith's column in the December issue "a gift to last" brought me to tears as it made me think of my own special Christmas involving skates. <br /> I don't remember my exact age, but I was probably around 12 as well. I was using old hand me down skates. I tried on a new pair when I was at a store with Mom and Dad, but didn't get them because they were a bit pricey and Dad didn't make a lot of money fishing. <br /> We always opened our gifts on Christmas Eve, and we did that year. I don't remember what my parents had for me. I got up the next morning and went to get my stocking. There was a wrapped gift under the tree with my name on it. I opened it and it was the skates I had tried on. <br /> These days kids get all kinds of expensive gifts and few seem to appreciate them. Well I'm telling you, I appreciated those skates more than I can say. <br /> <br /> Cindy Bixby<br /> Paradise, NL   Submitted By: Kevin Hunt/Cindy Bixby