What's your best holiday memory? What made you happy as a kid? --Al

-- Al Schroeder (al.schroeder@nashville.com), December 24, 1999

Answers

my best holiday when i was a kid was, "summer vacation" beautifully wrapped and tied with memorial day - fourth of july - laborday. the stickers on the package were the family picnics in between.

-- ici jongleur (ionoi@webtv.net), December 25, 1999.

One is the last Christmas my parents were together. I was old enough to have a new real watch. I got a classy gold with leather straps from my mother and a mickey mouse one from my father. I still remember their faces when they realized they had gotten me the same gift. I kept both of them because I didn't want to hurt either of them by returning one and not the other.

I also have fond memories of the year before that when I actually saved money and bought gifts for others on my own. It was my first real experience to see what the giving felt like. It was great!

-- brittly (brittly@yours.dreamhost.com), December 26, 1999.