CHRISTMAS GIFTS

I've been thinking of gifts this Holiday season. The tv is blaring non-stop commercials concerning gifts to give. I read an article on msn.com entitled "The Worst Gifts You've Received from your In-laws" which seemed so sad and had a theme of ingratitude for a gift that may have been given in great love. Always, at this time, I am immersed in the making, giving, and getting gifts. I love the time I spend making Christmas gifts!! They're never spectacular or expensive, but the sewing of the present gives me hours of time to think about the recipient and to enumerate all that I love about that person. When I'm purchasing a gift for another, I often have no idea what to get, but I fix into my mind an image of that person and try my best. I think the most wonderful aspect of the gifts one gives is the aura of love and remembrance which envelopes each gift. Often the gift can't be wrapped. A newly adopted granddaughter, good health, a hug, a joke shared. Aunt Joan was here, and we planned to go to a Relief Society recipe exchange in which we were to bring our favorite Christmas dish. Aunt Joan suggested that we make fudge and bring spoons for the sisters, recalling that Mother could never get her fudge to set up, so we usually had a 13x9 casserole dish full of runny fudge with five spoons stuck in them! Wonderful memories of a Mother who gave gifts from her heart. Some gifts are given when we don't think of them as a gift. Twenty-eight years ago in March, we lost our beautiful baby daughter, Ann Margaret, to crib death. A week or two after the funeral, I had a knock at my door, and there stood my father. Daddy had suffered a stroke several years before and had lost his speech. His right arm was curled into a permanent balled fist; he wore a heavy brace and walked with a cane. He drove an old, old car. He had driven for four hours. We sat down together, and he held my hand and patted it over and over. Not a word was spoken between us as the tears streamed down our faces. He stayed for only an hour, indicating that he had to get home before dark. I had been given a priceless gift, which makes me tear up nearly 30 years later. There have been many, many other such moments in my life of sweet gifts tenderly given, which I acknowledge with deep gratitude.

Speaking of gifts--it snowed last night. Only a few inches, and it's still snowing. Dad is already outside--not shoveling snow or gathering wood but testing out his birthday gift--a 2004 Nissan Titan. He has, at last, found a replacement for his beloved Tahoe from his working days.



Another gift we've acquired this year is to finally have the time to build a nativity display for our front lawn. Not only did Dad do a wonderful job, but it smells good too since he used cedar in the manger. We've wanted to make a public statement about why we celebrate Christmas for a long time, and we're pleased with our results.

All is well. Gifts are on their way. Decorations are going up; the Christmas letter is in my thoughts, and we watched the Christmas pageant at the ward dinner last night and laughed when there were four Magi so that no tender feelings would be hurt, the rowdiest boy in the ward with a lopsided halo, and a baby Jesus slammed into his bed. Gifts. All of you keep gifts in mind and remember that, no matter, what gifts you receive, they are gifts from the heart of someone who loves you. Love, Mom

"God gave us memories so that we could have June roses in the December of our lives." ~J.M. Barrie