Last Train to Clarksville

Christmas Trees Around The World!

I recently got an email from my dear Momma and it had the most beautiful  decorated Christmas trees. So I decided to share it on my blog.

I thought it would fitting since the news is reporting that Christmas Tree sales are up!  Families who have to cut back this season still want a Christmas tree! Even though there might not be that many presents under it.

I was watching the news this morning and a family being interviewed had just relocated to Nashville and is having a hard time finding a job.  They have a large family, six children I believe was the number reported, and they showed the Christmas tree in their living room with maybe 1 or 2 presents underneath it.  Not everyone is going to be able to have the presents that they normally would have under the tree this year. I was kind of worried about my family about 4 months ago but started thinking about the true meaning of Christmas. The worry left me and I started having a peace inside.

Our Children

We have three teenagers and you know how expensive they can be!  Especially when they are all in sports and 2 of them are wanting their Letterman jackets, class rings, etc… That Letterman jacket alone is approximately $300!  I have realized something this year though.  We might not have a lot of presents under the tree but we really have been celebrating every day with our children. We are always giving when we can, not because they want it but because we want to give them what we might never have asked for because we had it rougher than what most families did. My children are in no way spoiled.  We give them just as much of attention as we give them gifts. Attention is probably one of the best gifts you can give your child.

When we were worried about Christmas presents being under the tree, the children said it would be alright. (As a family we communicate about everything. There will be no surprise of disappointment.) If we didn’t have any gifts we still had each other. We would be creative and make things for each other out of what we had. We are a strong family unit.  My husband and I have been married going on 20 years this coming year.  We have gone from food stamps to where we are now, which is comfortable to us. We have worked hard and in the beginning had the helped of family.  Many do not get the help.  In knowing that, I wanted to give back to the community in some small way. I recently took some gifts to the Salvation Army and I made sure I wrapped them in some eye catching paper and bags!  I thought about the two little girls and what they asked for. I didn’t want to go cheap on them, just like I wouldn’t want to go cheap on my children. They were wrapped differently, imagining how each girl’s personality would be. I wrapped with what the spirit inside was telling me to do. It was weird dropping off the gifts and not being able to see the joy on their faces when they saw the packages. All I have to go by is the imagination of what their faces will look like Christmas morning. I left there feeling blessed that I had the home to go to, the car to drive in, the bed to sleep in, the warmth of a fireplace, the food for the belly and the love of a family who cares deeply for each other. So many don’t have those things.

Christmas is a season of giving and next year we will do things a little differently.  We plan on giving something every year to the Salvation Army and possibly become Santa Clauses ourselves!

Do you know what the definition of Santa Clause is?  Santa Clause is a giver of gifts.  So anyone who gives a gift is defined as Santa Clause!

So, in closing I would like to share the Christmas trees around the world, if you haven’t already seen them. It is amazing how we all are alike in this way, decorating a tree.

Merry Christmas and enjoy your Holiday Season!

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