It had been a rough year money wise. Christmas Eve was here and there wasn’t going to be anything under the tree. Luckily the kids were all small and probably wouldn’t even realize that Christmas had come without a visit from Santa.
I decided to at least bake some cookies for the holiday. Mainly to lift my own spirits.
I was just taking out the last pan when my brother-in-law showed up. He helped pack up the 3 children and fresh baked cookies so we could spend the night and Christmas day with the rest of the family.
After getting all the kids asleep for the night, he proceeded to open his closet which was piled to the ceiling with boxes. He started to pull stuff out handing it to us. It was toys! He worked for a donation center. All the toys had been donated but rejected because they weren’t in very good shape.
Until the wee hours of the morning we fixed and rebuilt cars, dolls, stuffed bears and tricycles.
When we were finished there was more toys than all our kids needed. My husband and his brother loaded the extras in the car and using a list my brother had gotten ahold of, took off and left presents at doors of other struggling families with small children.
The next morning watching the kids tear open the gifts made me happy but the fact of what we had accomplished made me feel the happiest. Really felt like one of Santa’s elfs.
Wow, that’s lovely how eerything worked out, Kimmy. You went from feeling low to spending Christmas with enough for your kids, with family and helping others – what a turn around!
I’m glad everything worked out for you, and thank you to you, your brother in law and husband for making Christmas better for all those other families, too.
Sorry you didn’t have enough money that Christmas but good you made some toys for lots of kids.
I love that story, I to have had to wonder about how I would have Christmas for my kids. Money has always been an issue at our house. We live in a very rural area and jobs aren’t easy to come by. Your brother sounds like an awesome person. I’m so glad you, and your kids got to have a Merry Christmas after all.
Sorry you have had that worry, karmaskeeper, but I’m sure you would have made Christmas special in ways that don’t need money.
One thing we all can agree to is that its tough to have enough of money to make christmas as we want. But the most important this is the spirit.
Yes, with limitless money our Christmas would be totally different – at leats, the gifts I gave would be different in many cases but I’d still want to make Santa’s snack with my kids, decorate our tree with homemade and special decorations, spend time looking at Christmas lights, and so on. In other words, it isn’t money that makes the best bits of Christmas great.
I love Christmas’s like that. It’s the ones that are tight that end up being the best because those are the ones where what’s important is right in front of you and not under a tree or in a box.
A very good sentiment, Sorrowscal. I think such Christmases are also good but you have to think, be creative and do things (rather than just throw money at it).
awwww, got all weepy reading about this family! There is so much value in sharing and giving, especially at Christmas. Gorgeous family you have, Kimmy!