Easy-Bake Christmas

By Darlene Buechel

In 1968 I was the only 8-year-old girl on the block without an Easy-Bake Oven. While Mary Lynn created cakes with fudgy chocolate frosting, and Lori popped out a fresh batch of tiny sugar cookies, the only things I produced were pouty lips and crocodile tears. 

"An Easy-Bake Oven is nonsense," Mom lectured, "you can help me bake cookies in the big oven."

"It's not the same," I'd scowl while yanking the hair on my blond Barbie doll. This went on for four years. Finally, at age 12, my friends were allowing their Easy-Bake ovens to collect dust, as boys and Bobby Sherman records took over our lives. Now, as an adult, I've come to realize what a great childhood I was lucky enough to have. There was no divorce, violence, or tragedy to overcome from my growing up years. We lived a middle class life with a nice home and plenty of food, clothes, and toys. I realize that many of the things I took for granted while growing up, would be seen as luxuries to a child from a poor, violent, or broken home. I've also come to appreciate that while I didn't get everything I asked for as a child (back to the Easy-Bake oven again...) I was lucky enough to get love, time, and attention from my parents and siblings. 

In light of that, I was kind of surprised by my own reaction last Christmas when my boss mentioned he was buying an Easy-Bake oven for his little niece. It kind of made me jealous! Of course, as I relayed the tale of my Easy-Bakeless childhood, he was falling on the floor in laughter. "Fine," I thought, "no one really understands me." 

Guess what, I was wrong! Fast forward to this past August when I was just a little bummed out about the advent of my 40th birthday. Do you blame me? Let's face it, 40 is getting old! Anyhow, I walked into the office that day to have my boss greet me with a box wrapped in purple Snoopy paper. "How sweet of him to get me a present," I thought as I ripped into Snoopy and Linus. As the paper came off, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, as there before my big green eyes stood...the lovely pink and purple box containing an Easy-Bake oven! That gift truly made my day, but believe it or not I haven't baked a tiny little cake yet. In fact, I've asked my boss if he'd mind if I donated the gift to the local "Toys for Tots" program this Christmas. He told me to do what feels right, so of course I'm going to march down to the "Toys for Tots" box and proudly add my treasure to the collection. It warms my heart to know that this Christmas some sweet little girl will have her cake... and eat it too!

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