Last night and today I had the honor of shopping for families for Christmas.  It is something I enjoy doing every year.  We take up donations at church before Thanksgiving, and then names and money are handed out to those who want to shop.  I’m always excited to open the envelope with my name on it, and see who I get to shop for.  I’ve shopped for little boys and girls, pre-teens, and teenagers. There is usually one wish, and then I have to come up with other gifts to buy.  Some years have been more challenging than others. But this year…..

This year I opened up my envelope, and saw that I was given a 7 month old baby. I was given a child who won’t even remember the packages under the tree, or excitedly await to rip into paper. I looked at the little slip of paper, with a wish of learning toys, and thought – sweet goodness, I have no idea what to get a baby.  I mean, just last week, my friend from work was talking about a toy that is a wooden piece of cheese you run string through.  Huh? Literal string cheese? Okay.  We are a long way removed from JD’s first Christmas.

I thought that, and then thought about JD’s first Christmas.  Sure, he was only 3 months old, but we were excited.  I remember getting him a little 1st Christmas outfit, and how his granny kept telling him he was going to get some “stuff.”  It still makes me smile.  The truth is, the first Christmas isn’t for the child – it’s for the parents.  And that led me to another thought.  I thought about this sweet baby and her mama….so here we are.

Dear Mama,

I don’t know you, and you don’t know me.  We have never met, but I’ve had you on my mind a lot lately.  As I sit here watching The Santa Clause, having just finished wrapping gifts for your precious baby, I want you to know first and foremost that it was my honor to be able to do this.  When I think of a baby’s first Christmas, I think it should be filled with joy – and I hope that this year is that for you.  I don’t know if this has been a hard year, or if you feel that really this has been a hard life. I don’t know if your circumstances leave you feeling overwhelmed…or if like me, even when times are hard, you have hope. You believe for the best. I certainly pray that is the case.

Somewhere along this way, I realized that I wasn’t just shopping for a baby girl.  I was shopping for you. I thought about what you might want for your child, and I hope I made good selections. I did get learning toys, and a couple of cute outfits, but then I thought about what I would want.  I couldn’t let this year pass without something to commemorate your daughter’s first Christmas. Something small, but maybe something you’ll unpack each year. Maybe you’ll hold this ornament in the future, and you won’t think about the hard time. Instead you’ll hold this ornament and think of how life can give us the greatest of blessings.

From one mama to another….Merry Christmas.

This is a beautiful life.