Countdown to Christmas …. Day 17

I am kind of spring boarding off of yesterday’s post with today’s memory.

It also involves a purchase from the old Sears Department store. This time it was for my mom. 

First off, my mom LOVED dressing for holidays. She had a huge collection of earrings, necklaces and pins for Christmas that she worked through the whole month of December. My dad bought her a lovely wool suit one year in vibrant red. It had a grayish fur color and she loved to wear it to church or parties during the holidays. 

She also had a tendency to lean towards gaudy selections as well. Let’s just say, if Ugly Christmas Sweaters had been a thing, she would have embraced it with gusto.

The woman owned tons of holiday socks, because when you wear one pair people tend to remember and gift you more. So she would add her accessories to a green vest she had crocheted for herself. 

This vest multitasked for St. Patty’s Day and Christmas. For the latter she would add red and of course the socks…and jewelry. 

When we brought her and my dad and aunt to live in our town, we tried to make Christmas special for her since she was the only functioning one in the bunch. I have told before how we would pack up the makings of a party and take it all to the facility where my dad and aunt lived. 

I would purchase a couple of gifts for each and wrap them up nicely so they had some things to open. 

Not a one of them wanted or needed anything, so this was always a challenge. 

One Christmas as I was walking through our Sears Department Store, I wandered over to the women’s clothing. My mom was a solid petite, measuring at her tallest 4’ 11”, she had shrunk significantly in her 80’s. 

As I looked through the racks, I came across a pretty patterned jacket. It featured some bright colors which suited her taste as well as a well cut design, good fabric and quality workmanship that fit mine. 

I thought she would have things that went with it, so I purchased it and wrapped it up. 

She loved it. 

I mean LOVED it. 

She wore it often and expressed her gratitude to me frequently. 

It felt so good to have given her a gift that she really appreciated and used. It also felt good when she would thank me again after wearing it. 

It is nice, isn’t it, when someone thanks you for something you gave them. You may have forgotten about it, but their appreciation sparks the joy you felt in gifting them. 

This is a good reminder to me to mention my appreciation for gifts I have received when I use them throughout the year. 

I would be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to expand the thought. 

At Christmas we who love Jesus are doing all the holiday things with the fuel of joy we have that God sent His Son to become one of us and lead us back to Him. 

All the pretty things, fun activities, extra family events keep this gift front and center throughout Advent. 

As the calendar flips to January, we lug the tubs out and dismantle the decorations, we cringe a bit as the credit card bills remind us of our generous spirit to gift others. We head to the gym to work off the yummy treats we indulged in. 

The gray days of January and February roll by and we long for spring and then summer and of course, glorious fall….and then….we remember the joy again. 

Like Scrooge…we need to keep Christmas in our heart every day. It is good to thank God often and regularly for the gift of the Christ Child. 

Emmanuel

God with us

For His birth leads to His death and His death to His Resurrection and by His wounds we are healed. 

Our salvation comes from the Christmas story, so let’s remember to thank Him daily for it <3