Helping others have a Merry Christmas

I'm feeling a bit nostalgic today. And weepy. Sometimes, when I'm feeling down, I focus on some of the delightful surprises I've had in my life. Which brings me to The Christmas Tree.

"We just can't afford one," my husband, Jim said, as we perused the lot of Christmas trees. 

"But the kids will be so disappointed," I countered. 

"They'll just have to understand."

He was right. Money was tight and a Christmas tree was not a necessity. The girls were young enough to not really know the difference anyway. Still, I looked longingly at the fluffy firs and  elegant white pines, imagining them adorned with lights and homemade ornaments. 

We scraped by to provide our daughters with gifts to put under our non-tree. I was grateful for what we had, but the absence of the tree put a damper on my holiday spirit. And then, the phone rang.

"This is Sandy, from Clinton Tree Farm," the voice said. "We have a tree here for you." 

She proceeded to recite their hours and told me we could pick it up anytime they were open. What she wouldn't tell me is who bought the tree. 

To this day, I have no idea who gifted us with such a blessing that year. But I've always been grateful.


Do you want to help make a difference in the life of someone who is about to have a lean Christmas of their own? Community Human Services Holiday Gift Drive in partnership with Pittsburgh Tweetup, a group I'm involved with, is looking for kind, giving people like you who would like to brighten someone's holiday. 

Please help us make the holidays special for 200 children and adults in Pittsburgh by supporting the 2013 CHS Holiday Gift Drive. They seek to provide a small gift for a local individual or family using the services of one of their programs. For many, this will be the only gift they receive during the holidays, and often these gifts are practical, useful, and accessible. And, they give help each person have a bit brighter winter from a warm coat to a piece of cookware to a fun toy.

To learn more about the CHS: Holiday Gift Project and how you can get involved, visit http://bit.ly/CHSHoliday2013 

Together, we can make the holidays a bit merrier,