Christmas is just around the corner. The lights are glistening from the houses in the neighborhood. There are still presents left to wrap to be opened on Christmas morning. While I could list the things I want to you, in all honest I’ve already received the best Christmas gift this year.
I had decided to have a small Christmas gathering at my apartment this year. This is something I haven’t done since the first year I moved in. The main reason is working at convenience store didn’t offer me the time to throw such a small part.
I invited my parents who stopped by for a short time, a few friends and my next door neighbor and her husband. It was a pot luck gathering and I had asked each person to bring a little something. I made a pot of chili and we had pizza and wings. I also had set out small bowls of snacks and some caramels.
The real reason for the gathering is I wanted to surprise my neighbors with a special Christmas. Little did I know it was going to be something I would never forget.
Keep in mind that none of us got together to discuss what exactly we were doing at this gathering. We knew we were exchanging gifts between me and my friends, but we all wanted to do something special for my neighbors who had a rough time since the around Thanksgiving.
When they both had arrived and everyone had had their fill of food we commenced to opening gifts. I had gone out to get them a $50 Visa gift card that would be good to use anywhere. Something to help pay a bill or get groceries. One friend had gone out and found a vintage Santa and a DVD that they had mentioned missing from their collection of movies. The other couple I had invited was able to provide them a full Christmas dinner. This dinner included: turkey, ham, apples, vegetables, stuffing…the whole nine yards.
The looks on their faces and the joy the filled the room couldn’t be more satisfying. Knowing that we were able to give something to a couple in needis a better Christmas gift than anything I could possible receive this year.
This Christmas my friends and I were able to do something that may seem small, but has certainly made a huge impact in the life of others. I’ve always tried to do a little each year, but this is the first time I’ve really seen the impact of the meaning of Christmas. It may be the one thing I’ve needed to help pull me out blues I usually experience with the holidays. To be seen as a hero and knowing it was the right thing made all the difference in the world.
I felt it was important to share this amazing Christmas story of love and giving in this wonderful holiday season. I hope it as uplifting for others as it has been for me.