The Christmas Present

- December 23, 2021

Toyi can’t decide what to buy for her grandmother. This is the Christmas month. The shopping malls are buzzing with twinkling lights, shades of hanging stars and a crowd of colourful tiny tots. The showcases are all full of eye-catching gift items. What’s not there? A variety of soft toys, crying dolls to storybooks, fine dresses, caps, sweaters, trousers and many others. Children can’t wait long to stack them in their shopping carts. But, for Toyi, those aren’t interesting enough, at least not suitable for her grandmother.

She lives with her parents in the state of Pennsylvania. The place is far far away from Kolkata where her grandmother lives in a housing surrounded by mango trees. Toyi visits her once in two years, but she keeps a special bonding with the old lady. She tells her friends, “My Amma is my best ever friend. She listens to all my requests, but my parents don’t.” Lisa, the blue-eyed girl, who is in the same class, asks her, “Aren’t you thinking of a nice Christmas gift for her?” That gives her an idea. Toyi can buy a very special gift for Amma and send that to her by airmail. She takes her parents to the gift mart Glassy Street on a Sunday. Her mother shows her the interesting gifts that are on display, but she doesn’t choose any. Her father gets impatient. He says, “Toyi, why don’t you find something for Amma? If you don’t select it now, we will be late getting back home.” Toyi bends her head down and answers, “Sorry, Papa. None of them is as special as I thought of.”

Next morning it snows heavily in the city. Toyi rushes to the front garden to get a view of the road. No part of the green lawn is visible. It seems the garden floor is covered with a huge white carpet. The trees have got sprinkles of snow cover. Strings of snowflakes are coming down on her face. It feels cold, but fresh. Mummy watches her through the kitchen window and cries out, “Beware my dear, don’t catch cold.” Toyi pulls up her red woolly jumper and looks at the road marked by piles of snow. There is a boy wrapped in red jumper who is making something with snow. What is he doing? She runs to the front gate to get a closer view of him. He has made three white balls; and fixes them together, the smaller ones up and the biggest one down. Toyi claps gleefully and says, "Wow! That’s a snowman. It gives me an idea. This will be my special gift for Amma.”

Toyi discloses the plan to her parents. But Mummy doesn’t appreciate it. She says, “How will you send a snowman to Kolkata? It will melt down on the way. I think that’s a foolish idea.” But Papa shows a lot of enthusiasm, “No, I would say this is a great idea. Let’s make a small snowman. We will find some way to send it across to Kolkata.”

Toyi begins her work. She picks up enough snow in a bucket and brings it home. Now she makes two snowballs. Mummy helps her to give them exact spherical shape. The balls are joined gently using a little pressure. The basic shape is ready. Mummy makes a cute nose and two eyes with black and red plastic board paper. Toyi fixes them at the right place with a strong quicky adhesive. Papa admires the design, “It is an excellent craft. But I would prefer the snowman to have a nice red cap. He needs to save himself from sunlight.” Both Mummy and Toyi like his suggestion. A small funny red cap is set atop the head of the snowman. Mummy ties a pink ribbon around its neck and makes a neat bow on its breast. Papa appreciates the complete work. He says, “The gift is ready. Now you have to write a message in your own hand for Amma.” Toyi takes out a greeting card and writes, “Dearest Amma, I have made this funny snowman only for you. I can’t come to meet you this year. The snowman is my messenger. It brings you my message of Merry Christmas. Love you, Toyi.”

Papa brings a small wooden box where the snowman and the greeting card are packed with care on a red velvet cloth. Mummy wraps the box with flowery origami paper. The box is stuffed with enough cotton balls so the excess water of the snowman is soaked and it does not get wet.

After the box is mailed to India, Toyi sighs with a smile of relief. She tells her parents, “Thank you, Mummy and Papa for your help. I’m sure Amma will be delighted to see my gift.”

Finally the postman delivers the box at the grandmother’s house in Kolkata. The old lady glances at Toyi's name on the sender’s list and opens it carefully. Can she find the snowman in the box? ……

Rather she spots two black eyes, one nose, a pink ribbon with bow, a red cap and a greeting card written by her sweet girl. There are half-wet cotton balls scattered in the box. She reads through the greeting card. Her eyes fill with tears. She says to herself, “I have to make a video-call to tell her how glad I am today.” She imagines how happy Toyi will be when she knows that her Amma has got her special gift.