I get to wear a lot of hats as a public relations girl on the job, and many of them quite frankly stress the heck out of me. But today I found one that I really, really like – the Santa hat. I’m in charge of the company’s Sub-for-Santa giving effort this year, one that has us signed up to provide Christmas for 80 children in the local community. There’s a lot that goes into such a project, but it doesn’t feel soooo intense, as some things seem to.
Today I found myself on the phone with the families, letting them know that they’d be receiving Sub-for-Santa help this year. Realizing that I have some work to do on my thoughts because they’re not always the kindest, before the process began I was thinking most of these people would just be “users of the system.” And I was wrong. I tend to be more often than not. Call after call I heard the sincere appreciation in a mother’s voice as she told me how grateful she was for the help they are receiving.
As one mother spoke, I could feel how much she absolutely loved her children – she made me want to hug my own children and tell them they’re incredible – and I don’t even have any yet. She’s one I will remember.
Today reminded me the absolute only way to feel the real depth of the Christmas spirit – really the only way to feel happy at all – is to make someone else happy. That’s what it’s all about.
I’m excited for a lot of reasons, but I’ll tell you one. This year will be our first Christmas in our first home, which means the focal point of decoration – the Christmas tree – will be brand new. What will it look like? I will (Tyler probably won’t…) remember it forever and have the decorations for years, so I feel like it has to be GOOOD.
I’ve gone to my favorite decorations store, (heard of Rod Works?) three times this week, just to get some ideas. I didn’t buy hardly anything, because you see, I’m not made of money and that store is. But I could spend hours there; it really does have the greatest things. I also went to the new place in town – Hobby Lobby – so I can try my hand at homemade decorations. For starters, I bought ceramic snowflakes and bunches of glitter.
I’ve never used glitter before. My sister says it will be everywhere in the house before I know it, so maybe I’ll revamp that opinion come holidays. But for now, you should see my snowflakes! I glittered away through Tyler’s night class and Family Night on TLC. It was so fun. I wanted to glitter other things, like cupboards and doors and counter tops, but I held on to my senses long enough to realize that mistake. What about you? How will you decorate? What ornaments might you make?
The Thanksgiving browns and rusts and deep reds will always be my favorite, so I’m glad we have a few more weeks of them. But come black Friday – the holly jolliness and all that green and red and glitter will make its debut. Can you wait until then?!
