Saturday, January 5, 2013

12 days of Christmas...gifts




 We have been blessed beyond measure by so many praying for our family, acts of service and love by so many friends.  I know the Lord gave us many gifts to help us get through this first Christmas without Samuel.  I wanted to share some things that helped our family and special ways we celebrated through our grief this year.  I am going to be writing several posts about this, so please share!  I hope that others will be inspired to do these things that helped us, for another family that needs it!
 
This year the Christmas season was going to be difficult...and it's not just a day, it's a whole season!  Even though we have His JOY , it was hard to be excited without our boy.  He loved the lights and decorations!  He loved going to The Merry Christmas Tree Farm, his therapists house, to get our Christmas tree each year!  He loved presents and toys!  He loved reading about Jesus' birth and singing Christmas Carols!  He loved it all.
 
 
So, as we had entered into the season and I was trying to get going on everything,
 we were surprised one morning with an exciting treat!
 
This was sitting at the door on December 14th.
Attached was a note:
"On the 1st day of Christmas... A partridge in a pear tree?
 How about peeps and pear bread?"
~imagine our excitement!!
 
Inside the box was homemade bread, pear preserves and peppermint peeps!
YUMMY
 
 
The next morning we dared look outside and there was another box!
the note read: "On the 2nd day of Christmas... 
how about turtle chocolates and 2 packs of Doves?"
**double yummy!!
(This is fun for me, too)
 
The next morning came and we were racing to the door!
"On the 3rd day of Christmas... French Hens??  How about French hair?!"
(shampoo, conditioner and hair supplies)
 
How fun!!!
 
Every day it was exciting to wake up and see what was at the door!
 
"On the 4th day of Christmas...four calling birds...we got it right, or
 did it say four cawing birds?? we tried!"
 bird feeder, bird food and 4 bird crafts
 
By this time everyone is asking me who is doing this?? 
I have no idea, but it is awesome and happy for our family and I am so grateful!
 
 
"On the 5th day of Christmas... 5 golden rings! 
 at $1750.00 per ounce, you didn't expect real gold, did you? Merry Christmas!"
5 ring pops and a bubble ring kit!
 
 

"On the sixth day of Christmas... six geese a-laying??
 Oh no, we thought it said 'six Chick fil A's'!"
so carefully wrapped in the eggs are
$5.oo gift cards to Chick fil A!!!!!
I am loving this :)
 

"On the 7th day...swans a swimming.?
 Definitely not as cool as penguins a dancing!"

inside our box was the movie Happy Feet 2
(the kids have watched it over and over),
 tootsie rolls and penguin body wash!
 
 
"On the 8th day...hmmmmm....how about
 a milk bath, hot cocoa and a latte candle?"
sounds great to me :)
 
this was also at the door on the 8th day
"the swan wishes to thank the penguins for holding down the fort until his arrival.
Strong headwinds caused the delay. Merry Christmas!"
so funny
 
Now on the 9th morning, there was nothing at the door.
We tried not to be disappointed, but I remembered I didn't turn the outside light off all night,
 so I told the kids that it may come, but I was afraid our "secret gifter" was afraid of being seen...
But... later that afternoon at the other door,
it arrived!
"On the 9th day of Christmas... we have to protect our feet if we are going to dance. First things first"
 

Fuzzy warm socks for us all!!
(Our gifter is so clever)
 
"On the 10th day of Christmas...leaping , flying? Batman did both! 
So can angry birds. That's all I got."

An awesome game of Angry Birds!!!
(which we play almost everyday)
 
 
"On the 11th day...bag pipes wouldn't fit. How 'bout icing for piping?"
sugar cookie baking mix and decorating kit!
 
Now of course, Christmas day was here and I thought of this person, who everyday is sneaking to our house, delivering a gift... this is Christmas morning, surely there won't be anything.
Why did I doubt this amazing gifter???!!! 
 
"On the 12th day of Christmas...12 Drummers Drumming,
 edible drumsticks are so much more exciting!
 MERRY CHRISTMAS!!"
 
and there were 2 packs of Super Nugget drumsticks(ice cream cones) in dry ice!
YUMMY!  We all are still enjoying those!
 
And then Tim got excited about the dry ice...so then they made some concoction with it.
 
 
And had a happy morning!
 
Thankful for givers today.
 
We still don't know who did this for our family, but it was truly a treat and blessing to us. I pray that I can bless another family some day, as this person has blessed us!
 
Thank you so much!!!!!!!!
 
2 Corinthians 9:7-8
"Each one must do as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything for every good deed."
 
 

2 comments:

Ann said...

Mary Elisabeth, someone did this for Mrs. Prince's family the year her husband passed away. And someone did it for the Shanks two years ago when Joseph died. It is a lovely idea!!! They enjoyed it as much as your family did.

Annette said...

I too enjoyed "watching" you enjoy this special gift and hope to do it for someone someday to help them through the first Christmas holiday time that is so hard. Thank you, secret gifter, for giving of your time and creativity. May those of us that got to watch remember and pass it forward when such an opportunity arises. God bless.