Give ...

With the season upon us I've tried to think of something worthwhile to say without involving things not everyone wants to hear. So let me just say this, GIVE ... to someone who has less than you. It will make their life better (if only for a short time) and it will warm your heart (for a much longer time).

Great idea and thanks for the reminder. I have purchased a doll for a girl and will get more. Hubby is getting things for a boy.

That was a very good idea.  Simple is always better and it applies to everyone.  This is a time for gifts of the heart.  Thanks for the reminder.

12/9/2013
                   Here at our local mall every year the Kitchen Angels always put up a
                   Christmas Tree with names of seniors, on the tags were what they 
                   wished, I always choose six women and six men and I felt it was heart
                   warming and personal to buy for these older people. This year to my shock
                   they won't be doing it. So I was told a store in the Mall high end, The Queens
                   Ransome ( I heard Shirley Mac Lain  hangs out there, she has a home here) They
                   are collecting toys for the Firemen who deliver to poor children, so I decided I'd
                    go that route , so I have to go toy hunting.
                                                                                          
                                                         Cheers..Joe...

I like that tree.  There are so many seniors in nursing homes and shut in.  I remember one year our church did presents with meals on wheels, just small token things. 

It seems like people have a good idea but it's hard to keep it going.

I think I posted this under a similar thread last year, but my mother was, at one time, on the local Salvation Army board.  The Salvation Army worked with the local Service League (that's Junior League for smaller cities) to fund a toy store where people on the welfare rolls could come in and select toys for their children at no charge.  The Service League held a Toy Coffee each year. Open to the public, the only "cost" for admission was an unwrapped toy to be donated to the SA for their toy store. I was lucky enough to host the toy coffee in the home that Bill and I built during the early 70's, and lived in until our divorce. I remember that the guest book indicated that over 400 women came through the door with toys in hand.  I felt honored to host that event because of my mother and her dedication to the toy store.  It was her "baby" every year.  She and the SA captain would set up a list with the names from the welfare rolls indicating each eligible family and the # of children in the family.  The rolls were kept for several years, so they could choose whose turn it was, among the families, based not only on size but participation, to receive a major toy - usually a bicycle or equivalent.  My job each year was to help set up the store, beginning with covering the shelves and table with Christmas paper, and then setting up specific areas for dolls, trucks, etc.  I would also be one of the volunteers who was assigned a family to help shop.  I was given a card showing the size of the family, whether children were boys or girls, and what major gifts they might be able to choose.  Other than that, the parents were free to "shop" the shelves and make their own choices.

I think I've also told that Bill and I decided, while the girls were very young, to tell them the we were Santa Claus.  We did that as we told them that their were many families who could not afford to give their children gifts.  We encouraged them to share their outgrown toys with these children.  Every year we would gather them up and take them to the SA where another group of volunteers would rework those used toys so that they looked and worked like new.

You know, none of my children have ever, even once, said anything negative about learning the truth about Santa Claus, or regretting sharing their toys.

It is the time for giving a bit extra.