Pogo Sticks

Grandpa and I love sharing the holidays with family also. However, we were by ourselves this year because of concerns about the pandemic. We enjoyed speaking to everyone on the phone though. When I was growing up my family included five children - An older brother and sister, and two younger brothers. Each of us was a little over a year apart in age. My parents had a moderately successful business in our small rural town. Our gifts were accordingly few and modest. One year when I was about 10, we all received pogo sticks for Christmas. Pogo sticks were a new item that Christmas. they look like this [an upside down cross].

They had a place for your feet on either side of a metal pole, and a sturdy spring was in the bottom. With effort you might go a foot in the air and 3 feet forward. Christmas morning was cool and clear with no ice or snow on the streets. After opening presents all five of us were bouncing up and down the streets near our house.It must have been a sight for Observers! But it was fun for us and we let off some of our youthful energy.