12 Days of Christmas

1980 was the last Christmas we had my dad. He was very sick then too. He passed away in January of 1981. So when Christmas 1981 came, it was our first Christmas without our dad. I was 20 and my younger sister was 15 and my mom was 53 and a widow. Right around December 12, 1981 someone started leaving presents on our doorstep every night anonymously. This happened for 12 days. It gave us a little bit of hope and cheerfulness that Christmas to be surprised by these gifts of kindness. On the 12th day of Christmas it was revealed to be one of our great friends and neighbors. She just wanted to cheer us up that first Christmas without our dad.

I had actually kind of forgotten this had happened, but on my mom’s 80th birthday I had her friends write me their memories of her and our family and I put together a book of those memories. That’s where I heard of this again and I kind of remembered.

I had a friend a little younger than me who had 2 daughters in their mid-teens and a son almost a teenager when she got pregnant again. Talk about surprised! They had their baby boy and it was approaching Christmas time and I thought we (our family) should do the 12 Days of Christmas for my friend. She was starting all over with baby things and I just thought it would be a great way for my family to give as well as to bless my friend.

Thankfully we know her sisters so we found out the baby used a very specific type of formula and we found out what diapers she was using for the baby and then we heard how the older children were loving the surprises so we threw in some gifts for the older kids. Each night we would drive to their neighborhood and try to sneak a gift on their porch. On the 12th night we revealed it was us. My friend told me with tears in her eyes that one night she and her husband were rushing out to a holiday dinner when they realized they were out of formula for the baby. They were already running a little late when she said she had to run to the store to get some. When she walked out her door, that was our gift that night. It was just so cool. It gave me chills.

I’ve not done it again since and I think we should. So on my Facebook and Instagram pages I am going to do the 12 Days of Giveaways! It will start on Thursday, December 12, 2019 and go until Monday, December 23, 2019. So if you want to participate, head over to my Facebook page Reclaiming My Life Patty’s Fitness Journey or my Instagram @pattysfitnessjourney.

I’ll post each morning at 6:00 am. Mountain time and I’ll pick a winner each evening at 6:00 p.m. Mountain time. See you there!