The Lilac Nightie

My fondest Christmas memory is the time I received a lilac nightie from my sister. I wrote about it once, a private story I sent to her, to let her know that I will never forget that Christmas Day.

I never thought I’d own that nightie. I went Christmas shopping with my sister, who was buying presents, I think, with one of her first working year’s wage packets. My memory’s a bit vague on that, but anyway, we were in Littlewoods, which was a store most people went to back then. I saw the nightie hanging on the rack. Imitation silk, so pretty and “grown up” looking, and I touched it. Honestly, the feel of it…I can still remember that when I close my eyes. And my word, I wanted it so much I could taste it.

Christmas Day, my sister handed her present to me, all wrapped poshly, so different from the other presents. My sister has a knack for being so glamorous, and I didn’t even want to open the present for fear of messing up that beautiful paper, the ribbons and bows. Her lovely writing was on the tag, and I can only imagine how she felt knowing what was inside the package, her sitting there waiting for me to open it up. And I did, finding that lilac nightie inside.

God, she could have bought me diamonds and I’d have been disappointed, because looking back, that nightie must have been one of the first “womanly” things I wanted. Something I kind of needed at the time to make me feel less of a child and more of someone growing up.

I wore that nightie to death, until it frayed, had thread pulls all over it, and until it was so tight across my chest it hurt, digging into my armpits, and the hem was no longer at my feet but possibly my calves. But that present gave me more than just something I wanted. It made me feel special, something I never felt I was deep down. It made me feel like a princess. She made me feel like a princess. I wish I had kept it, really do, in all its final, ratty glory. She took a picture of me once while I wore it, of me crying in some fit of childish sulking, and I can still see that in my mind too.

So, when asked which Christmas I remember most, it’s the Christmas of the lilac nightie. The Christmas I discovered I was special enough to be given such a thing and also that my sister must have watched me touching that nightie in the shop and knew she’d found the perfect gift.

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My “gift” this week is any of my e-books from any of my names (Natalie Dae, Sarah Masters, Charley Oweson). Nat’s books are HERE. Sarah’s and Charley’s books are HERE. All commenter's names will be placed in the hat and the winner will be announced next Friday along with the winners from all weekday posts.

To find out who won gifts from Madison and Anne this week, check back later for the winner's post!