My worst and most unusual Christmas gift would be one and the same. They came the second Christmas after my ex left. I was trying to detach (we had been separated for 15 months) so I let him visit with the kids in my family room and open gifts under my tree. I went out for the afternoon while this took place.I had certainly not bought anything for him. When I returned he had left 3 gifts for me. Strange, since we were barely speaking and he had been living with maggot for 14 months. One was a poinsettia, one was a canister of Tim Horton's coffee (I live in Canada) and the picture on the can was of a hockey player - he told D he had gone to every Tim Horton's to find the right picture (I don't even like hockey and never have???) but the ultimate was the 3rd gift. It was a jar with little orange fruits in it. We didn't know what it was. Later it was identified as a jar of kumquats! maggot must have told him I'd love it. I just remember thinking WTF and crying and crying out of confusion, loss and hurt. It came to be known as the Kumquat Christmas.
My best gift was 21 years ago, it was the year after my son got brain damage and had been in and out of hospitals for months. Finally, clutching at straws, I had taken him to a hospital in Minnesota, trying to find some answers and some hope. What I didn't know was that my health insurance only covered 75% and I ended up with a huge hospital bill and little hope of paying it off.
On the morning of Christmas Eve I got a phone call. It was my uncle (now deceased). He said he was hoping to stop by for a visit that morning. (Gosh, I'm getting choked up just writing this). He arrived with a Christmas card and lots of hugs. Inside the envelope was the money to pay off the hospital bill. He had heard of our struggle (we are proud people and really had only told my parents), and contacted all my other aunts, uncles and cousins and everyone had chipped in what they could. I cried and cried that year too. Tears of relief. Tears of gratefulness. Tears of Love. Tears for my son, Ryan.
3 of those uncles and my own Mom have passed away in the last 10 years but the memories of the good they did will remain forever. I hope everyone keeps that in mind this Christmas and finds someone who is worse off than themselves and does something nice. I know that I will.
BND: I continue to pray for you and yours this Christmas. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share my story.
