Christmas Ideas

I know with Thanksgiving this week, I should be talking about that but I thought I would share some Christmas gift ideas today. The first one can be done all year and then put together for the first of December, but I am not that well organized.
I have done this a few times and I think I end up more blessed that the people who received the gifts.
I am sure it has a cute name too but of course I don't know it.
When I did this for my Mom my Dad had been sick and I thought she needed a little reminder of how much I loved her and how I loved her for all of the million sacrifices she made daily.

I got a big basket and I filled it with 25 gifts. Just small ones like candles and napkins and tea towels and I gave her At Home in Mitford. As it closer to Christmas I gave her more and more personal gifts. I didn't want her to know it was me so I left my name off of everything but of course she figured it out. I wrote a poem on each card. Every morning after they knew it was me my parents would call me and tell me what they thought. This morning I was thinking about it and I am so glad that I took the time to do that.

As my life got busier and busier when all of the kids were at home and I was so involved with so many things, I realized that I was not visiting with my grandparents and as they got older the days began slipping too fast through my fingers. I tried to think of something that I could give that would make me go visit. So I came up with the idea that on the 25th of each month I would take them dinner. I would plan it so that I could go over and visit with them and spend the day like that. The first year was very nice. Then for a few years that was what they wanted every year. I would try different recipes but one time I made my enchiladas and that became their favorite so that was what they asked for the most.

 I am so thankful that those years what I gave was the gift of time. It was hard sometimes to get all six kids in the car with the food and get over there in one piece and to spend the time with my grandparents. When they got sick it went so fast, they passed away two weeks apart so then that chapter closed. I never make enchiladas now.

I have never done this but I tell myself every year I am going to do this. I love socks. I always think that I will get themed socks and give them for next year. 12 pair, but I never think of it in time or I have missed say Valentines day. So one of these years I will remember and do that too.

One of the things I try to do is keep margin in my life during the holidays. If someone says, can we get together? If I am so wrapped up in my own things I will miss those golden moments or divine appointments.
I think at the holidays I have to have wisdom about what is good and what is important. Sharing of my time is more important than what is under the tree.

I just thought I would share some of the things that have made me think of how I can leave the world just a tiny bit better. We can change our world every day, we do it one life at a time. I always wanted to be a missionary, and since God hadn't called my husband to be one too, I thought it would be easier to reach out to those whom God brings into my life daily. Each day one smile is worth a thousand words. Especially to those people behind the counter.

Have a wonderful day,
~Kim~