I am not sure whether this should be classed as a Christmas Story or a Story of Carelessness. I know it is the truth because it happened to me.
I understand why my siblings, every now and then, were jealous of me growing up. I was the youngest, quite spoiled, short on discernment and given to exaggeration. However, I am an adult now and need to vent as well as tell the truth as best I can. This particular sibling is 16 or 17 years older than me. She should really have exercised her ability to be more considerate than she was at the time. But perhaps that was one of the many time slots when she completely forgot I was her sister or remembered only too clearly, albeit adopted or birth.
On my fifth Christmas, I got a "Betsy Wetsy" Doll, a "Punkinhead" Bear and on my Birthday, earlier that December, I got a Koala Bear from a distant relative or friend of my parents. Let me here and now state, that I was absolutely smitten with all three of these toys. I used to have tea parties with them in the loft of our old carriage house/garage. This was at a time when little folks were often allowed to be children longer than they are these days. Some time around my 8th year I was given a bisque doll with a cloth body, from England, named Rosebud. She had been well loved and she was missing fingers off of both hands. That fact never stopped me loving her all the more.
Yes! Now to the point. Many years later in my 30s, I was moving out to Saskatchewan with one of my erstwhile husbands, and I wanted to take my old toys with me because I am a collector and a sentimental fool. When my mother moved from my hometown to Markham, this particular sister 'helped' her. Unfortunately, she lost sight of the fact that she was handling other peoples' possessions. She got careless and for whatever reason they were not in the chest or box that was in Mom's 'new' garage where she said they were. It is likely they went in a box from the first house to a charity by her hand or were just left behind in the carriage house. They were, evidently, no where to be found.
Something that my sister did not take the time to understand about me was that my childhood was pretty much void of any playmates. All my siblings were pretty much grown up. People at school did nothing but tease and bait me. Don't misunderstand me. My Mom and Dad were terrific parents and my oldest two blood sisters treated me very well. However, one moved far away and the other died a few years ago. I miss them both very very much each and every day.
So, certain toys and possessions marked my Christmases and Birthdays for me. I collected them because they helped me remember special family occasions, the good times during my childhood, and the time I spent with those older siblings. I don't think my only brother was extremely taken with me because he was always having to babysit the youngest; me. When I really go over it in my mind, I don't take exception to his attitude as I feel if the situation were reversed I might feel the same.
Also, through the years, I felt the disapproval of this particular sibling many times. At first her spouse sided with me but just about 3 years ago I phoned to try to say a friendly hello, verbally catch up, and they both literally said they were cutting me out of their lives. I almost said, "When was I ever a part of your lives?" I also believe that after my Mom died, she took the little musical Hummel figurine that I gave my Mother for her birthday. The thing is I do not believe she did any of this out of malice; particularly because you have to really care for someone to feel any kind of rancor.
I bare no ill will towards her or her spouse; as I finally got to a point where I believe that life is too short for worrying over conflicts or slights in the past. This missile was part of letting these facts and people go.
Hey, whose to know, I may find another or all of the toys on Rakuten, Amazon, Wish, or E-bay online some time. I may just have the good sense to let those go to someone else as well.