I had a wonderful childhood and don't remember ever being disappointed at Christmas. One year I wanted a tiny thumbelina doll. I was really getting too old for dolls, and it was probably the last year I'd get one, but I really, really wanted this particular one. I got up in the middle of the night (ummm, I did that every year), and snuck into the living room to see what Santa left under the tree. I don't remember what was there, but tiny thumbelina wasn't!!! I was crushed! Not sure if I actually woke my mother up, or if she heard me rambling around and said something, but of course, I had to whine about my doll. So, she tells me to go ahead and open my present from my grandmother. Ahhhhhhhhh, there was my doll. My grandmother was determined to get me that doll even though mother told her I wanted it from Santa.
The only things I remember ever wanting (in general, not necessarily for Christmas) were a Barbie dollhouse, a Bride doll (a nice collectible one - not a "toy" ) and a piano. I compensated and bought my niece the Barbie house, mother bought me a Madame Alexander Bride when I was grown and I never got a piano or learned to play <sigh>.