Up to the age of 11 Christmas was mostly about getting, but on that Christmas I came to understand the true meaning of Christmas. I truly discovered for the first time that giving feels better than receiving.
On this particular Christmas our family, and a couple other families, decided to provide Christmas for a family in need. We were told what the family needed and everyone was given assignments of who to buy for. Christmas Eve came and we gathered to wrap the gifts in preparation of the grand delivery. The family in need had a girl my same age, and for some reason, as we wrapped the gifts, we noticed that her pile of gifts looked much smaller than all the rest of the piles that evening. Our parents began wondering if they forgot about her, and feeling bad that she wasn’t getting as much, the conversation then shifted into one that suggested I should go into my room and find something I thought this girl would like, wrap it up, and give it away. My heart sank. I felt so selfish, because I really didn’t want to give anything away. The things in my room were my prized possessions and the last thing I wanted to do was give it to some girl I didn’t even know.
Well, long story short, the adults in the room convinced me that we were so blessed and had so many things; the least I could do is share “something” with her. I went to my room in search of something I could easily give up. I was considering things like, old stuffed animals, opened fingernail polish that I didn’t use anymore, a picture hanging on my wall that I was ready to take down anyway, and a pen holder from off my desk. But then my heart softened and I considered for a moment what the savior would want me to do. I left my room with my FAVORITE jewelry box under my arm and marched straight to the living room to wrap it before I changed my mind.
When we showed up at the family’s home to deliver their Christmas to them, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was in total disbelief at what I saw. The mom and dad with several small kids were in a house that had absolutely NOTHING in it. No furniture, no microwave, no tree, no toys. NOTHING. My heart sank for them. I saw the surprise in their faces when we poured through the door with armloads of gifts, a decorated tree with lights, and food. I could feel their appreciation; they looked at us like we had saved their lives, like we were their “Saviors” for this tough season of their life. My heart swelled in ways that I have never forgotten. It is hard to describe in words, what an experience like this will do to ones heart, but to this day its brings tears to my eyes thinking about how special that evening was for me. At that moment, I was so grateful that I gave this girl the most prized possession that I had in my room at the time. My favorite jewelry box. I was so glad I listened to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in choosing what gift to give. Can you imagine how rotten I would have felt if I had chosen to give her a half empty tube of chap stick or a half ripped poster of “New Kids On The Block” from off my wall? My thoughts were full of gratitude to God for this experience. All I could think from that time on is “what else can I give away”, “how else can I help families like that”, “what can I do to have those special feelings again and again”? It definitely taught me that Christmas is about the spirit of giving and of doing to others as Christ would want you to do.
Dan and I work so hard to keep the true meaning of Christmas in all we do around the holiday season. We hope our children understand it and learn to love it for the Christlike Love that can and should really shine though this time of year.
3 comments:
Thanks for the great cry!! I love this, I too can only remember a couple of Christmas's and they were the ones that we did something for someone else. Thanks for sharing. Really puts things in perspective.
You have always been tender hearted and my greatest helper.I love you Stacey.
That is such a cool story Stace. I've never heard it. I remember doing that when I was little too. I love you! That was an inspirational thought for sure!
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