Another Christmas packed away in the memory book

As the Christmas trees come down and decorations are put away, so are all the festivities of another holiday season packed away in our memory books. Some are captured in photos and videos and will be revisited from time to time.

For some the end of the holiday season brings relief from all the extra work of shopping, cooking, entertaining and just trying to keep up with the expectations and obligations that are supposed to make for a memorable Christmas. For others, the end of the season is an end of forced cheerfulness or just trying to avoid the season all together.

What makes some Christmases special and others just a trial to get through? Of course, the first Christmas newlyweds spend together is special. And who doesn’t treasure watching a new baby experience their first Christmas. Getting engaged at Christmas or meeting someone new at Christmas also adds a sparkle to the holiday.

But a season that comes loaded with so much expectation takes on “special” when the unexpected is experienced. Most of the Christmases that stand out for me were not those where I plowed through a pile of gifts but those with a pleasant surprise-- an unexpected visit or call from a long distance relative or friend, an unexpected gift that met a need or a thoughtful homemade gift from someone. It’s that element of surprise that adds the specialness.

During December, in several cities around the country, some restaurant patrons decided to “pay it forward” and picked the tabs for strangers around them. It’s one thing for someone to pay your bill, but the surprise element of learning it was a stranger somehow doubles the blessing.

And this Christmas, I encountered the surprise element several times. About a week before Christmas, one evening FedEx knocked on our door and left a package from a catalog business I've ordered from many times over the years. Knowing I hadn’t ordered anything recently, I was baffled at what could be in the box. When I opened the box, I found a beautifully decorated live Christmas wreath inside. The accompanying invoice did not have any pricing info, so I went online to check my account and nothing had been charged to me. I had always wanted one of these live wreaths, but my practical side always insisted on buying one that could be used again. Thrilled, I hung the wreath and am still enjoying it.

A few days later, my husband came home with enough poinsettias to bank around our fireplace, which were given to him at a local nursery, along with a beautiful potted red plant that I used for a centerpiece on the dining table.
Then on Christmas Eve morning, we had an unexpected water overflow in the laundry room that necessitated taking up the flooring. Not knowing if anyone would even come to the house on Christmas Eve, I nevertheless made a call to a local restoration business.

Not only did the business owner say he would come to the house that morning, he said he was already on his way to another house in our neighborhood to assess some smoke damage. Within 30 minutes, he was at our house, surveyed the situation and took up the flooring before it was damaged. After assuring us that the room only needed a couple of days air drying with the help of a fan before putting the flooring back, he proceeded to tell us that he was not going to charge us for the service call. That would have been a nice gesture at any time. But on Christmas Eve?

I would say this was a special Christmas this year!