Best gift ever

Staff writer

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Mark Thompson, a trucker from Oklahoma City, still remembers the best Christmas present he received as a kid.

“When I was nine I begged my dad for a BB gun,” said Thompson, a big smile on his face. “My dad kept saying no, but when I unwrapped my gifts there it was. I remember by the end of the day though, he took it from me because I broke two windows. Eventually he gave it back though.”

While many kids stay up at night wondering what might be under the tree for them, many parents and adults alike are reminiscing about what gifts they got for Christmas when they were children.

“The gift that stands out for me was a red, white and blue Sears Free Spirit bike,” said Portales High School Athletic Director Mark Gallegos. “I got it in the third or fourth grade and I rode that thing until the wheels fell off.”

At the Portales Public Library, clerk Grace Coy took her time when thinking about the best gift she received.

“A red scooter, Coy eventually said . “Mine was red and my sister got a pink one. But the wheels popped the second day I had it, because we had really bad roads by my house. So my grandfather had to fix it.”

Elida girls basketball coach J.D. Isler, had a little trouble thinking of a gift.

“I’m an old guy, so that was a long time ago for me.” Isler said. Eventually he came up with a gift that had something to do with his occupation today.

“I don’t know how my parents did it, but they were able to find me a red, white, and blue basketball when I was eight,” Isler said. “At that time Dr. J was playing in the ABA and they used red, white and blue basketballs so it was great to have that.”

Gary Sanchez, a father of three remembers his gift, but its the one he gave his two sons that stick out in his mind.

“For me, my favorite gift was a dirt bike I got when I was 16, I still have it in my garage although it doesn’t work anymore.” Sanchez said. “However, the best thing for me was when my sons wanted a Troy Aikman jersey when they were kids. The look on their faces when they saw them was the best gift I could’ve asked for. Of course it meant they never took them off.”