As we round the corner upon Christmas Eve, I thought it might be fun to look back at a favorite Christmas gift giving experience.
I love gift giving. I love surprising people with something completely unexpected or exactly what they wanted (even though they had no idea I knew).
I am a hopeless procrastinator. If I had time, I would be out on Christmas Eve buying presents. With all that being said, being able to plan the "perfect" gift makes it all that much more fun.
One year when I was in college, my sister and I decided my mother needed a cd player and cds. (yes this was before mp3s). So, we set out. I bought the cd player and we made a list of all of the artists she liked. We found all the discounts we could and even told my father what cds he needed to go buy.
At this point, my mother was living alone. She didn't have any music to listen to and just had the tv going. One of her favorite artists was John Denver but she never got to listen to him. Phantom of the Opera was her favorite musical, but she never got to listen to them.
My sister and I set out that year to fill my mother's musical needs all in one swoop. It was fun. (It is probably also the most congenial experience my sister and I have had together.... let's be honest).
Then let's advance the years to Cade's second Christmas. My parents came to San Antonio and we were all supposed to have Christmas together. Or, that was the plan,. So, my father came with a stomach ache. By Christmas Eve night, my mother and I were praying to the porcelain gods. Within hours, my father and Jody joined us in our worship of the porcelain gods. Cade never got sick (Thank goodness).
Christmas morning, I honestly don't remember opening gifts. Cade had a ball while we all sat green and motionless. Our Christmas dinner sat in the fridge uneaten. We all had saltines and chicken broth. Let me add that finding saltines and chicken broth on Christmas day at a store is IMPOSSIBLE.
So why was this a favorite Christmas experience? Well, we definitely bonded as a family. As miserable as we were, we still got to watch Cade enjoying the opening of gifts. As miserable as we all were, we still were alive and able to share Christmas.
Looking back we can laugh. Looking back we can see the beauty of the togetherness that was shared. that was what was important.
Merry Christmas
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