(Check out other fun and interesting show and tells at Mary's CanadaGirl!)

We have many family Christmas traditions in our home (see below posts), but the one I have

 not shared yet is a most special one that we dearly call our, "Uncle Jon Christmas." 

  To explain what this means I must first tell you a little about this special person,

 Uncle Jon.

.

*****

.

Uncle Jon is my oldest brother.  He is a scientist in San Diego, California.  He works for a  pharmaceutical company developing and testing various drugs through the use of special

software that he designs himself.  Although he has lived in San Diego for decades, he travels

to New York City almost weekly working for his company. 

When my two oldest children were young, he lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as a scientist

for the U. S. government, working on energy projects. 

.

******

.

Uncle Jon is  a very busy man.  My youngest child (6) has never met him.  My second youngest (9),

"met"  him once as a three month old baby when my husband and I flew to Catalina Island, California for a mini-vacation.   My next one up, (12), "met" him when he was just hours coming out of the

 womb.  My fourth son was born just hours after my father was buried.

.

*****

.

You get the picture, we have not seen Uncle Jon very much over the years.  But, out of sight

 does not necessarily mean out of mind.  Every single year, for the past 26 years, he has

remembered the birthdays of all six of my children.   Just days before their  birthday

 arrives, a HUGE package will be on our doorsteps.  Inside will be multiple wrapped gifts for the celebration of their special day.

.

*****

.

For Christmas, the HUGE box is really HUGE.  Inside, there is approximately  half a dozen

gifts for each child .  This is each and every Christmas, without miss.     Do I need to say that

 Uncle Jon is a hit in our home?    When I was  growing up, I always called him "Jonny" - so

 often we call this our,  "Uncle Jonny Christmas."   I don't think anyone now calls him that, ever. 

 In fact, he might be mortified if he knew.   Dr. Jonny just doesn't sound  right.  But Dr. Jon Maple  is indeed quite fitting.

.

 .

All of the presents under the tree (above) are from my brother and his wife. 

 I love the individual bags their in.    .

 .

 My brother's gifts are not your Toys R Us variety.   Every year there's a

common theme.  First of all, he loves animals.  Each child often gets a quality

stuffed animal and often unique ones at that. 

 .

 In addition to the stuffed animal, often each child receives a hand puppet/animal.

 .

.

 They receive all kinds of books.  Classics, science books, pop-up books that explain scientific

concepts, books on various animals.  Their always hard-cover and often unusual ones that I've

never seen before. 

 .

.

 There are always educational toys.  Joshua got a remote bat.  My brother

doesn't know that bats are something were very associated with here on the farm, near a creek.

We've had many actually fly into our home.  It's not an uncommon occurance. 

 .

I do think my brother would be surprised to know how many of these "real" ones

we've had encounters with.  Like the one I accidently brought in with me in the summer -

it was attached to the towel I was sitting on.  Or the bat this past year that wouldn't

let Rachel sleep, he kept bomb-diving her head.  Or, well, I guess that's a whole another

show and tell!

.

 Last year, he sent  some really cool spider books that showed them three-D.  This year, Jacob,

received a toy Tarantula.    Believe it or not, we have had many a spider in our home that looked

like one of these.

 .

 It always amazes me at the time and care that goes into the choices of gifts Uncle Jon and

Aunt Alexandria send to our children. 

.

My brother "likes" snakes.  So much that he's had some as pets that he kept in his home.  Once, when my other brother was a guest,  a pet snake escaped and climbed slithered into his bed. 

Uncle Jon has lizards and large iguanas (think: small dinasours) as pets, too. 

.

.

This is sure going to come in handy.  We've been studying the solar system and the planets

this past semester.  We watched some videos by Moody and Rachel did some research on the

internet.  Maybe we'll add to our understanding of it all with the help of this 'toy'.

.

.

 Not all of the toys are educational, though.  There's a lot of just-for-fun ones, too.

.

 .

 Like this remote car.  Cool! 

. 

.

 Or games....

 .

.

 A Hannah Montana doll....

.

 .

 Art supplies....(and Ruthie loves to draw!) 

 .

.

 .

Uncle Jon couldn't have possibly known, but this is just what Ruthie had been wanting for

quite some time now.  Her wish came true!

. 

 .

A cool ball...

.

.

A Thomas Kinkade puzzle...

.

 .

For the future fashion designer...

.

A little bit of everything.  In the past, they've received model airplanes and robotic kits....

Once when my husband's brother, "Uncle Jimmy," an ordained Baptist minister who also lives in California, came to our house to stay the evening.  When my children heard that "Uncle Jimmy from California" was here, there were squeals of delight and he was greeted with rock star type of status.  It occured to me at that moment that they had mistaken "Uncle Jimmy from California" for "Uncle Jonny from California".  An easy mistake, but I am glad that Uncle Jimmy was greeted so warmly and enthusiastically! 

.

******

.

I have noticed lately that when the children write their thank-you notes and cards, their beginning to ask, "When can I meet you?"  and "I would like to meet you."    The faith of a little child....