Be a Christmas Light

I love this season of the year. The camaraderie among people makes the cold and yucky smoggy, inversion weather bearable. Everyone seems to be more giving and thoughtful. Growing up, one of my favorite traditions was the Twelve Days of Christmas. Every year my family would pick another family or two that was struggling or could use an extra lift, and we would do the Twelve Days of Christmas. I loved that we were sneaky and were giving to someone that we knew and loved without them knowing it. Of course, I was always too anxious to be the one to drop, knock, and run. My brothers always got that job. Matt and I have done the Twelve Days of Christmas a couple of times, and one day when Jackson is old enough to knock and run, we'll pick it up again.

One of the funniest stories was when it was my parents turn to drop the gift one night. By the fourth night, the receiving family tries hard to catch you, and then you have to get creative in leaving things behind. We were well into the 12 Days, and my parents sat in their car a block or two away watching the house, but it was too well lit for them to be brave enough to leave and "run." Finally, a cop car pulled up behind them and sat there. Since my parents live in such a small town, the officer ran their plates but knew exactly who was sitting in the car; and he knocked on the window to make sure that they were okay. I mean, why would they be sitting in a dark, parked car alongside the street? Anyway, this officer was perfect for their plan. They had him take it up to the family's door and tell them that he found it outside by their fence. Danger, averted!

In the meantime, I love what my family does now. Instead of drawing names and giving gifts, we do something more meaningful and special. Each year one sibling (we just go down the list) is in charge of picking a family who is in need, and we all donate some money. We decide in our own families how much we feel we can afford, and then send the money to the sibling in charge for that year, and he/she pools the money together and decides how to give it to the family. We are in our fourth year of this tradition. I love it so much more than giving a gift that may be meaningless and that just adds to the "stuff" people have.

What do you do to help others during this season? How do you spread your Christmas light? Perhaps this is the year that you need a little help, and I pray that you get it. I hope that you accept the help others offer to give as we all have our seasons to give and to receive. In the first year of my family's new tradition in lieu of gift-giving, my little family (Matt, Jackson, and I were) were the recipients. My family had contacted even extended family members, and we were surprised over the Thanksgiving holiday when my family presented a check covering half the cost of what our adoption fees will be. (I had my meager contribution stashed away in my back pocket. It was a pittance compared to what we received.) We are still touched this day that my family did that for us, and we have the money saved for when we get our blessing.

Again, I ask, what are you doing to help someone else this season? Whose Christmas light will you be? Do you need an idea? Well, my friend Roni is doing something very special that I think warrants spreading. Please, go read her project idea here. Wouldn't it be great if there were so many envelopes that they couldn't fit them in a single Christmas tree?!

Whether you choose this project or another, I hope you choose something. Find someone. Do something. Feel free to leave a comment here explaining your service. I'd love to hear all of your ideas!