Day Eight - The Red Envelope

This is my favorite Christmas story of all time. It is too long to post. No one will take the time to read it. I have read it to my kids. One year when I was asked what I wanted for Christmas, I told them I wanted them to find someone for whom they could do something that year. The gift I wanted was a red envelope from each of them telling me of their experience.

As I mentioned when I started posting about Christmas, I don't like the commercial Christmas. I don't need much that I haven't gotten already. There are so many in the world who have so incredibly less - and are more humble and grateful than we. I wanted my kids to learn that the joy of Christmas is service and letting someone who feels alone know that they aren't. I think they have.

One year I told them that all I wanted was a letter in which they wrote about their testimony of the gospel. I still have those letters. I may have to do that again. They have grown. And so have their testimonies.

This year I DID give Chrissy a list of some material items. But I also told her that all we REALLY want this year is to have all of them at the temple with us. Doing that will be difficult, I know, since it so far away and the weather is always iffy. That is what I will treasure. It's been such a long time coming. That would be a Christmas present that would last for eternity! So far, it looks like I will have them there - God willing and weather holding. It has been YEARS since we have ALL been together at one time and place. That is Christmas to me.