Anticipating Christmas

     I have two brothers and one sister.  We would buy or make gifts for each other to exchange at Christmas.  For a while we had gifts for each aunt, uncle, cousin . . . I don’t think we started drawing names among dad’s sibs and their families until the first Christmas I was out on my mission.

     Patrick married Sunny who had four sibs and grew up having exchanged gifts with just one sibling, as they would draw names each year.  I think we still purchased gifts for each of our sibs and all of Sunny and Patrick’s families until after Kayla got married.  And then we decided to draw names – family to family.  That worked out for a few years.

     One time it seemed all of us were struggling financially and decided not to exchange gifts that year.  It was one of the best Christmas gifts we had ever given ourselves.

     Last year we tried the name-drawing thing among our own children.  They seemed to like it and I think it worked out better for each of us to do it that way.  This year will be different.

     This morning I received a text from my daughter-in-law, Jeanie.  She wanted to know if we’d be exchanging gifts this year.  I told her that our family would have to forgo it this year based on income.  I’m hoping that our three sons will still exchange, but it will not surprise me if that doesn’t happen.

     There’s been tension between Randy and Tony.  Both have been riding the “financially-challenged” boat – both have asked for favors from us.  But we are on the same boat ride.  I feel so helpless and forlorn about our situations.

     We have put up the Christmas tree.  That always gets Jenna excited, and she makes gifts so that there are presents beneath the tree.  I’m afraid our gifts for her will be quite sparse this year.  Fortunately she has not asked for much nor do her wishes come with a heavy price tag.

     Colored pencils, cool melt gun, newton’s cradle, drawing paper, wash tape, mostly small things to keep her hands busy.  I’d like to be able to have something for her – something she’s not going to get bored with the day after Christmas.

     Christmas should be a time of giving service, a season to be grateful for blessings, a season to share – even just a simple meal.  So many people miss out on the joy by stressing over having gifts or going shopping or wearing themselves ragged.  I know Christmas will be more awesome for us if we just focus on why we have Christmas in the first place.  I hope we can instill that into Jenna and it may be her best Christmas yet.  I know this year will be hard for her.  I hope Roland and I can change that and this year will stand out as a great memory for her.