“I don’t know if I can take much more of this.” I said as mum passed us both another gift.
“We’re almost done.” she smiled. “These are from me.” she added.
We both thanked her before removing the ribbon and paper. “A nightie.” I frowned.
“Sorry… I couldn’t resist it.” Mum said as she watched me unfold the white garment. “There’s a pair of knickers too.” she pointed out, much to my disappointment.
“It’s a baby-doll.” my sister stated as she unfolded hers. “Why are all mine pink?” she asked.
“Mine’s got pink on it too.” I stated, pointing out the pink trim on the short white nightie. “…and at least you are a girl.”
“But not one that likes pink.” she stated dryly. “Wanna swap?”
“No way!” I replied, taking tight hold of both my nightie and the matching knickers. ”This much pink I can just about handle.”
The final gift was, not surprisingly wrapped in pink too. Both mine and my sister’s were identical in size and shape. The difference was that Susan’s fluffy slippers were white with a pink satin bow and mine were baby pink with a white bow. “Wanna swap?” I suggested.
“No.” she replied instantly and stubbornly.
I grinned, knowing full well she wouldn’t. I looked up from the nightie on my lap to my mother and asked, “Why did you buy me a nightie mum? You don’t expect me to sleep in it do you?”
“Yes.” Susan quickly interjected with a grin.
“Well…” Mum began hesitantly, “You’ve got plenty of jim-jams and… knowing Aunt May was buying a you both matching dresses, I thought it would be nice if you both had matching nighties as well.” she explained cautiously, “I know it’s a bit girlie but…” she shrugged, “…you’ve got plenty of boy clothes. The odd girl’s item won’t do any harm.”
Mum made it all sound innocent enough, but I wasn’t convinced by the ‘you’ve got plenty of boy’s clothes’ excuse. Of course I’ve have! I am a boy… and I’ll bet any money I’m the only boy I know who’s unwrapped a dress, knickers, a petticoat and now a baby-doll nightie… but it being Christmas, I felt I had no option but to receive my gifts with good grace. “I guess.” I replied as I held it against me. “It’s really short.” I observed.
Mum grinned. “That’s why it comes with knickers. Now I want you both to tidy up the wrapping paper, then you can get washed and dressed.”
Susan and I cleared up the discarded and shredded wrapping paper whilst mum assembled my dress, underwear, nightie and other girlie items into a neat pile on top of the large petticoat box. “Keep those ribbons.” Mum said.
I looked at the bundle of ribbon in my hand and then to the half filled bin bag. “Why?” I asked, assuming they’d served their purpose.
“Because they’ll look nice in your hair.” Mum said teasingly.
“You’ve got to be joking.” I replied.
“Well they’re too good to throw.” Mum replied as she took them from me.
Moments later, she placed my pile of new clothes in my hands and both my sister and I climbed the stairs. “I can’t believe this is happening.” I said once we’d reached the landing.
“Well at least yours isn’t pink.” Susan said in a mournful voice. “And the worst part is…”
“What?” I asked.
“We’re going to have to pretend that we really like them!”
I felt my eyelids drop slowly and steadily is I visualised the scene… wearing a dress is one thing, saying ‘I love my new dress auntie, thank you so much’ is another. Like the condemned, my sister and I went to our respective bedrooms and placed our new clothes on our beds. I put my nightie on my pillow and placed the fluffy pink slippers next to my bed.
The box which contained the tights I placed to one side. But next was my knickers and vest. These I knew had to go on first, which meant the moment of truth was here. Reluctantly I pulled off my pyjama top and, having worked out which was the front thanks to a little blue bow at the centre of the scooped neck, pulled on the vest. The silky material fit me snugly and it felt like no item of clothing I’d ever worn before.