What Associated Content CPs Most Want to See in Their Christmas Stockings

With Christmas just around the corner, I decided that it was time to do another Associated Content Experiment. I will admit, in the spirit of full disclosure, that this idea came via one of my colleagues here at AC. Thank you, Amy, for your generous suggestion.

The subject of my latest poll is what the average American wants to see in his or her Christmas stocking this year. I spoke with family members, friends, neighbors, complete strangers, and, of course, some of my colleagues here at AC.

In all, I interviewed 67 people between the ages of four and 90. I included males and females; career people and retirees; military and non-military; wealthy, middle-class, and the poor. I even spoke with a few residents of the local nursing home that I have adopted.

The results were in some ways surprising. Some of the people that you would expect would ask for more material things, were the ones who actually wanted something more intangible. Interviews with children were the most poignant of all. So, here it is. I hope you enjoy it and that it stimulates you into remembering what the season is supposed to be all about.

A lot of the kids that I spoke to wished for Santa to bring them toys, of course. However, I was touched by the number that had something else altogether in mind.

My grandson, who is four, wants "more restaurant coupons" in his stocking. At first, I didn't get what he meant, but he soon made it perfectly clear. "You know, Nana," he said, "So that you and Papa and I can go out to Lonestar. I just love going out with you and Papa. It's the most fun!"

His friend, who is six, wanted money in her stocking. I asked her if she was saving up for a special toy. She shook her head and said "No. I want to give it to mommy so that she doesn't have to worry about paying the bills."

Another child I spoke to told me she didn't want anything in her stocking this year. All she wanted was to earn $20. She went on to show me her special "gift jar." It seems that she had been doing extra chores for months in order to earn money for her wish. She was only $20 short of her goal. "I can buy a gazillion toys with $100," she firmly stated, " so that all kids can have at least one toy for Christmas."

One veteran that I spoke with at the nursing home said he wished he still had both of his legs so that he could "kick some sense into those idiots who slander the military." He want on to report that some of the finest people he had ever met were attached to the military and with tears in his eyes he said, "it breaks my heart the way they are disrespected today. My dad died in Europe to keep the Nazis from our door. Now so many Americans claim that whole war was for nothing; that the Jews weren't persecuted. I just don't understand."

A 90-year-old woman in the same home wished for " Family. Mine is all dead," she told me. "I've out lived them all. That just isn't right!"

Not everyone, of course was thoughtful in his or her wishes. Some left me shaking my head. One of my neighbors wished that "someone would get rid of all those damn Republicans," stating "every one of them is vial and deserves to die."

A woman I met at the local laundry hangout had similar wishes. "I'd like to see the Republican Party totally dismantled. There isn't a Republican alive worth anything. I hope Hillary is elected President because she'll do away with them all."

I had several other political wishes that really aren't printable at all. Oddly, however, not a one of them was from the party that everyone else deemed as the ones responsible for all hate speech.

I ran into strangers who wanted nothing more than having Christmas done away with for their stocking gift. One informed me "there is no God, no Jesus, and therefore no need for this stupid holiday." Others simply felt that the holiday was too commercialized and, therefore, didn't deserve to be continued.

A few stocking wishes were humorous in nature. My daughter grinned as she said she wouldn't mind seeing Matthew McConaughey in her stocking. A friend of hers said she definitely wouldn't turn down Denzel Washington. I, personally, wouldn't turn away Harrison Ford.

A large number of people I spoke with, of course, wished for world peace; a better understanding between different cultures; and a closer relationship with their own higher power. Others wished their loved ones weren't stricken with serious diseases and hoped for their own continued health.

There were, of course, those who wanted more tangible things like:

Money (by 23 respondents; almost one-third of which wanted it for others rather than themselves);
A flatscreen TV (by 16 respondents; both adult and children);
A digital camera (by 12 respondents; both children and adults);
My family all in one place for Christmas (10 respondents; both children and adults);
Our troops back home (10 respondents);
The Wii game system (by 7 respondents; both children and adult);
My husband, back from Iraq (by 5 respondents);
Hannah Montana concert tickets (by 5 respondents; all under the age of 14);
A Hannah Montana doll (by 4 respondents; all under the age of 12);
Tickets to Disneyland (by 4 respondents; 2 adult and 2 children);
A Bose Radio (by 3 older "boys" age 45, 54, and 60);
Appliances (by 3 respondents);
Elmo (by 3 respondents; all under the age of 7);
Barbie (by 2 respondents; all under the age of 10);
Eye Clops (by 2 respondents under the age of 10); and
A ton of individual wished for items.

My AC colleagues had some interesting wishes to share as well. Here they are:

Dom Coccaro (North Carolina) wishes for "chocolate, chocolate, a CD or two, and chocolate;"

Dragonfly (Pennsylvania) hopes to see "peace and security for the coming year, and no worries;"

Irene L (Florida) says she wishes for a time machine. . .so she could turn back time for everyone and make life simpler with no cell phones, no internet, and leave most of that technology aside. "We would slow ourselves down and not have all these conveniences that contribute to pollution. We would have more of an appreciation for all life on earth than we have now and perhaps take care of her better. Then we wouldn't be in this mess with global warning concerns. And the chances of me getting this in my stocking is as good as getting world peace;"

Michy (Texas) would like to see "peace, joy, love, charity, and happiness. But, if Santa has a hard time filling that," she said she would "settle for a pair of diamond earrings;" and

Wes Laurie (California) wishes for "peace or a gun."

Last let me share my wish. I want another year with my family. I want to keep spending time with my daughter and son-in-law. I want to continue being a part of my grandson's everyday life. I want to talk to my granddaughter on the phone and listen for her amazing giggle. I want to see my step-grandson continue to grow into a strong young man.

I want my mother to experience as little pain as possible as her cancer progresses and I want her to hold on to her mind as long as possible. Most of all, I want to continue to hold the hand of the man who captured my heart 43 years ago and has held in the palm of his hands ever since. I want to live and grow old with him always by my side. That is all I want and need for this or any Christmas.