The Christmas Spirit

An experience tonight captured my heart. I am almost speechless. Let me use a picture to help explain:

Alan, who has the purest heart of anyone I've ever met, had the generous idea to make bags of candy to leave at the door of people's homes with amazing Christmas light displays. So today, Abbie and I spent a few hours filling bags, punching holes, cutting and tying and curling ribbon, and stamping labels for the bags. We had so much fun.

This evening we decided to go for a drive in the snow to see if we could find any houses to drop our bags at. We tied the ribbons so that we could hang the bags over door knobs. The kids were so excited. So off we went. Nate and Alan made the drop-off for at the first house we adored. As we drove further, we passed a home with beautiful lights and a Nativity as well. I loved the house and said that we definitely needed to leave a candy bag there. Alan slowed the car, but noticed that there was a woman using a snowblower in the driveway, so he drove past and said we'd come back another day. As we continued on, I felt like we should go back to that house. I told Alan and we sort of weren't sure what to do, but I really wanted to leave the bag. So we asked Abbie what she thought because she had wanted to do a drop-off there also. She decided that she would like to give the bag of candy to the woman in the driveway instead of coming back later. Abbie and I walked across the street holding hands, Abbie carrying the gift. I spoke to the woman telling her that we loved her lights and wanted to give her a bag of candy because of it. She stuttered and said thank you so much. It was clear that she was surprised and grateful. As Abbie and I turned to walk away, she said, "Wait, I have something for her (Abbie) too." Abbie and I waited inside the open garage while this stranger gathered an unknown treat for Abbie. When she returned, she was carrying an Advent Calendar. She said, "I make these and sell them, but I have some extras and would like her to have one." Tears came to my eyes. I was flooded with a feeling of love, and a connection with this woman who I had never met before. We said thank you, Merry Christmas, and I gave her a hug. It was a moment I will never forget. Here is a picture of the calendar hanging on our wall:

There were tiny ornaments to fill each pocket/day until Christmas. The ornaments then get hung on the Christmas tree at the top of the calendar. It's so beautiful. It's quilted and clearly a lot of hard work went into it. I'm still slightly dumbfounded by her generosity--All that for a bag of candy? But I think that that  is what is so amazing about the whole situation. We gave the bags of candy out anonymously with no expectation for repayment. They were simply gifts. But this woman was so touched by our gift that she responded with a phenomenal gift of her own.

The Christmas Spirit. Wow.

At Christmas
A man is at his finest
towards the finish of the year;
He is almost what he should be
when the Christmas season is here;
Then he's thinking more of others
than he's thought the months before,
And the laughter of his children
is a joy worth toiling for.
He is less a selfish creature than
at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him
he comes close to the sublime.

When it's Christmas man is bigger
and is better in his part;
He is keener for the service
that is prompted by the heart.
All the petty thoughts and narrow
seem to vanish for awhile
And the true reward he's seeking
is the glory of a smile.
Then for others he is toiling and
somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas he is almost
what God wanted him to be.

If I had to paint a picture of a man
I think I'd wait
Till he'd fought his selfish battles
and had put aside his hate.
I'd not catch him at his labors
when his thoughts are all of pelf,
On the long days and the dreary
when he's striving for himself.
I'd not take him when he's sneering,
when he's scornful or depressed,
But I'd look for him at Christmas
when he's shining at his best.

Man is ever in a struggle
and he's oft misunderstood;
There are days the worst that's in him
is the master of the good,
But at Christmas kindness rules him
and he puts himself aside
And his petty hates are vanquished
and his heart is opened wide.
Oh, I don't know how to say it,
but somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas man is almost
what God sent him here to be.

-Edgar Guest