General Chat

A Christmas Story

It's just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10 years or so.

It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas---oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it-overspending...the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma---the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else.

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.

Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church, mostly black.

These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes.

As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler's ears.

It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn't acknowledge defeat.

Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, "I wish just one of them could have won," he said. "They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them."

Mike loved kids-all kids-and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That's when the idea for his present came.

That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church.

On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me.

His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years.

For each Christmas, I followed the tradition---one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.

The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal it's contents.

As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn't end there.

You see, we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more. Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad.

The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation watching as their fathers take down the envelope. Mike's spirit, like the Christmas spirit, will always be with us.

May we all remember each other, and the Real reason for the season, and His true spirit this year and always. God bless---pass this along to your friends and loved ones.

What can I say? I am reduced to tears. thanks for the real meaning Chrsitmas

Love

Anne

I have a lump in my throat that just wont budge,
it puts Christmas in perspective. Thankyou

love
Ally xx

that is beautiful i have been reduced to tears
that is the true meaning of chiristmas

thank you carol x

angie xx

That was so beautiful, could hardly see the end for tears......so moving, thank you.
Helen. x

You have just reduced a 47 year old ex navy sailor to tears - thank you for the story

More tears , but how wonderful for you all to share the true meaning of Christmas

The joy of Giving not Receiving

Linda :o)

May we all remember each other, and the Real reason for the season, and His true spirit this year and always. God bless

Thank you Carol,I always enjoy your threads.
As I have said before, with all the hustle and bustle of Christmas, the buying of presents etc.He and the message that He brought to earth sometimes gets overlooked.
Lets put the Christ back into Christmas.
God bless you all.
Gwyn

A lovely story, so sad and happy it make you stop and think, in tears and will be most off the day.

KC

Am all blurry eyed and mascara running now, Carol. That was so lovely, sad and happy all at once!

Lizx

Beautiful Story Gives us all food for thought today folks seem to WANT bigger expensive presents This story tells us the real spirit of Christmas
Margaret

Awwww - that's beautiful.

I think a charity gift is a great idea - especially when I hear so many people say "I dont know what to get so-n-so for Christmas - they have everything and dont need/want anything". Most charities have a section in their catalogues for gift cards which will make a donation to something worthwhile.