It was over two months before Christmas when 9-year-old Mary told her father and me that she wanted a new bike. Her old Barbi bike was too old and it often needed repairing. As Christmas came nearer; her dream for a bike seemed to disappear; for she didn't mention it again. Then much to our surprise; on December 24th; she said that she really wanted a bike as the Christmas present more than anything else. We didn't know what to do. It was too late. We were busy with Christmas dinner and packing presents for our children; parents and also friends till midnight. So there was no time to buy the "right bike" for our little girl. Thinking that we might in this way make our child unhappy on Christmas; we felt _ and sad. Suddenly my husband came up with an idea. "What if I make a little bike out of the clay   and write a note that she could trade in   the model bike for a real one after Christmas?" So he spent the next 5 hours working on a small clay bike. On Christmas morning; we were very excited and waited for Mary to open the little box with the beautiful red and white bike and the note. She opened the box and read the note loudly. She looked at me and said; "So; does this mean I can trade in this bike for a real one?" Smiling; I said; "yes." Mary had tears in her eyes when she replied; "I would never trade in this beautiful bike that Daddy made for me. I prefer to keep it rather than get a real one." At that moment; we thought we would have moved the god to buy her every bike on earth. What did Mary want as her Christmas present?
A clay model bike. An old Barbi bike. A new bike. Every bike.