Christmas – Page 2 – Susan's Reflections

Make Holidays Memorable Without Breaking Your Budget

Have you noticed that celebrating the holidays is expensive? Presents consume a significant portion of most families’ budgets. We go all out on fancy food for the Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts. Then there are decorations, Christmas cards, postage, and holiday attire. It is easy to get caught up in the spending frenzy. Over half of all Americans (52%) began 2023 with debts from their Christmas spending last year. As recently as the end of September, one-third reported they were still paying off their credit card balances.

Hopefully, you have planned for your spending for 2023. If you have been reading my blog all year, you may have established a spending budget early in the year and are in good financial shape for this Christmas. If not, starting a budget now for next year is never too early. I hope you have a blessed Christmas and can celebrate the birth of our Savior without creating financial stress for yourself in the coming year.

With that in mind, my purpose today is to suggest that there are many activities that you can do with your spouse, children, grandchildren, and friends that will create beautiful memories without breaking your budget. Here’s a list of the ones I have thought of to get you started.

1. Bake cookies with your friends and family or for your friends and family. You can make several batches of cookies while drinking cocoa and catching up.

2. Host a cookie exchange party. The women’s ministries group at my church does this each year. Every woman brings three dozen cookies of one kind and goes home with a mixture of three dozen cookies made by the other women. It’s fun to get new recipes and taste everyone’s favorites.

3. Decorate Christmas cookies. If you do not enjoy baking sugar cookies, you can purchase them at the supermarket and decorate them with the younger family members. My grandchildren love to frost cookies and sprinkle them with sugar crystals. It’s a bit of a mess, and it creates wonderful memories.

4. Decorate your tree and home. I have always enjoyed decorating the Christmas tree; however, it is much more fun now that I have grandchildren. They also like to help Gramma decorate the house. Their ideas will differ from mine, and sometimes they are much better.

5. Drive around and look at the holiday lights. It helps to plan and know what neighborhoods have many decorated houses. Community Facebook pages are a good source of information on where to find the best lights.

6. Attend nativity programs at your church and others in your town. You will likely be surprised by the variety of methods of telling the Christmas story. Some churches put on outdoor living nativities, while other productions are more traditional.

7. Go to the Christmas parade. Children especially love Christmas parades, and in our community, we have several hosted by different localities within a thirty-minute drive of our house.

8. Go Christmas caroling. This has long been one of my favorite activities. For many years, our girls’ program at church has visited a local assisted living center and sang for the residents. The residents love it and join in the fun. One year, a 94-year-old resident accompanied us on the piano. We hand out some gifts that help the children interact with the older people. I always leave feeling happy and blessed.

9. Donate some canned goods to your local food pantry. Food pantries rely on donations year-round. The needs are even greater during the holidays, as many families seek extra help to enjoy their holiday feasts. Check with your local pantry to find out their biggest needs, and pick up a few items while shopping. You don’t have to spend a lot—look for items on sale. This is one instance in which many small donations can add up to a large amount of food to be distributed to others in your community.

10. Make simple homemade gifts. If your budget will not allow you to purchase gifts for everyone on your list, roll up your sleeves and make some inexpensive gifts. Pinterest is full of ideas and patterns, which you can download for free. The recipients will likely appreciate your homemade gift more than a store-bought one and will cherish it much longer.

11. Make homemade decorations. Rather than spending a lot of money on new decorations, reuse your old ones and make some new ones to give your tree and home a fresh look. Again, Pinterest is my go-to resource for creating inexpensive and fun decorations. You will have more fun and memories if you recruit friends or family to help make decorations.

12. Watch holiday movies. Pop a large bowl of popcorn or make your favorite holiday treat and settle in with loved ones to watch your favorite holiday movies. We have many beloved Christmas movies that we watch each year with our grandkids or extended family. My mother’s favorite was Those Calloways. I have many fond memories of the family watching it on Christmas night after we unwrapped all the presents, ate the Christmas meal, and cleaned up. We often ate turkey sandwiches while we watched.

13. Hang the stockings. Hand-knit Christmas stockings are a tradition handed down to me by my grandmother. My grandchildren love to help hang the stockings on the railing of our staircase. They love to come up with different arrangements each year. A few years ago, one of them decided we should hang fairy lights between the stockings. It was a beautiful way to highlight the stockings. They also take turns helping Gramma to stuff the stockings. The two eight-year-olds will have their turns this year and are already excited about it.

14. Read the nativity story to the younger members of the family. Plan a quiet time, perhaps after decorating the tree, to read Christ’s birth story. Have cocoa and Christmas cookies while reading or after reading.

15. Attend the church Christmas dinner. Our church family gathers together in early December for the annual Christmas dinner. It is always a great time of fellowship; everyone brings a dish or two to share. This is another excellent way to create memories and share family favorite recipes with your friends.

I am sure you have other activities for your family’s Christmas celebration. Please comment and share your ideas.

Reduce Stress By Planning Your Holiday Spending

Researchers estimate that 80% of consumers have started shopping for the holiday season. I shop for eight grandchildren, and I like to spread my spending over several months, so I am part of the 80%. Many people are shopping early to take advantage of promotions. Others are spreading out their spending to avoid hefty credit card balances in the coming year.

Economic forecasters predict that 95% of Americans will celebrate the holidays. The average consumer will spend $1,652 on gifts, food, decorations, clothing, and furnishings. This number is 14% more than last year, even though incomes increased by only about 5%.

As parents and grandparents, we desire to make the holidays special for our children. We encourage them to make lists, and we try our best to fill their lists. But sometimes our budgets do not allow us to indulge our children as we would like. It’s easy to get caught up in the frenzy and spend more than we can afford.

Before you overspend on Christmas purchases, take a hard look at your income and regular bills. Plan a time to sit down and calculate how much you can afford. Find a quiet space and clear your mind from the running to-do list constantly filling your head. Commit to not spending more than you can afford. The following ideas can help you to stay within your budget.

Prioritize. If you are a parent, buying gifts for your children should be first on your holiday shopping list. Beyond the children, you will want to purchase gifts for your spouse, parents, and spouse’s parents. Extended family, co-workers, and friends should be further down the list and may require you to cut if your budget does not allow them.

Set Expectations. If you plan to spend less than usual this year, let your children know they may not find as many gifts under the tree. Be upfront with friends and colleagues with whom you will not be able to exchange gifts this year; they will appreciate your honesty and may be relieved to be purchasing fewer gifts themselves.

Ask for help. If your child has his heart set on a gift that does not fit your budget, ask the grandparents to chip in. They will likely be happy to contribute for the pleasure of knowing their grandchild is getting this special gift.

Start early. Research now for the best prices for the gifts you want to buy. Be alert for sales and promotions. Place online orders early enough not to have to pay for express shipping.

Cut back. Carefully consider all of your spending for your typical holiday celebration. Decide which purchases you can cut out without diminishing your celebration. Reuse gift bags and decorations rather than buying new ones. Design and send e-cards rather than spending money and postage on store-bought cards. Give some homemade gifts. Make most of your desserts and side dishes from scratch.

The spirit of Christmas is giving. As God gave His Son to redeem mankind, we give gifts to those we love. Remember that the amount of money you spend does not reflect your love for someone. Instead, it is the thoughtfulness of the gifts that demonstrates your love to your family members. It is more loving and thoughtful to stay within your budget on holiday spending than to go overboard and deal with financial stress in the new year.

For more information on reducing your financial stress, please read my other blogs on financial management and stewardship. My book Honoring God with Your Money is another excellent resource. You may also want to sign up for my free quarterly newsletter.

Plan for Christmas Charity Now

It’s 135 days until Christmas. You may be wondering why I am writing about Christmas in the middle of August. The summer days are hot, and school children are preparing to start back to school. Christmas is 4 ½ months away. So, why am I talking about Christmas charity now? There are several goods reason to plan for Christmas giving this month.

Now is the time to decide how much your budget will allow you to give and spread your donations over the next several months. Planning for your charity is much easier on your wallet than making all your donations in December. If you plan to pack Christmas boxes for Operation Christmas Child (https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/), decide now how many boxes you will fill and the gender and age of the children for whom you will pack boxes. Keep an eye out for items and purchase them when on sale and as your budget allows. When school supplies go on sale this month, grab extra to add to the packages going overseas for the children. It’s not too early to buy new toys to donate to Toys for Tots (https://www.toysfortots.org/default.aspx) or save money to contribute to the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program (https://salvationarmynca.org/angeltree/.

Pray thoughtfully about how you can participate in supporting these organizations. Can your business place a collection bin for Toys for Tots? Can you promote Operation Christmas Child to your church and organize the shoebox collection? Can you share information about Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program with others in your church and your network of friends? (https://www.prisonfellowship.org/about/angel-tree/angel-tree-christmas/) These activities do not cost money but require an investment of time. Now is the time to register as a collection site and order resources to promote the programs you wish to support this year.

Volunteer time at one of these charitable organizations. It takes many volunteers to sort presents, check shoeboxes, and deliver gifts. If God puts a burden on your heart to get more actively involved, be obedient. Most of these organizations are actively soliciting volunteers year-round. Application forms are available online now so that they can make plans and train volunteers.

Actions you can take right now:

Order shoeboxes and promotional materials for Operation Christmas Child from Samaritan’s Purse.
Register to be a Salvation Army Angel.
Donate money to Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program.
Shop for new toys to donate to Toys for Tots.
Volunteer to help an organization and begin any training required.

Remember that Christian charity should be year-round, not just during the holiday season. Our schedules stay full, and adding charity to our time requires planning ahead. As you are able, make donations to local food pantry ministries to feed the hungry, give to One Simple Wish (https://www.onesimplewish.org/) to make wishes come true for kids in foster care, write letters to soldiers to let them know you appreciate their service and send them through We Are Here (https://www.operationwearehere.com/ideasforsoldierscardsletters.html), and send children to summer camp through Prison Fellow or the Salvation Army.

As you bless those in need in tangible ways, God will use your donations of money and time to be His hands extended. Your kindness might be the key to letting someone know they are not forgotten, and God loves them. There is no greater gift you can give someone than helping them to open their heart to God and accepting His free offer of forgiveness of sins and eternal life

My book Honoring God with Your Money provide more information about how to decide which charities to support and how much you can afford to donate.

5 Options to Avoid Debt Next Christmas

A client of mine recently mentioned that he had dropped $7,500 on gifts this Christmas. That’s a lot of money. This man has a large family, and he had a very good business year. Maybe he was making up for leaner Christmases during covid, or perhaps he wanted to celebrate a great increase in the volume of his business. Either way, he spent a lot of money.

Americans tend to spend more money on Christmas presents, food, decorations, and trees than they have saved, and wind up dealing with after-Christmas debt each January. Here are some numbers that illustrate this:

Average spending per couple	$1,864
Average money spent on each child	$330
Average cost for a Christmas tree	$200
Average after-Christmas debt	$1,242

If you are an average family who spends $1,864 all-in for Christmas, you need to save $155 per month to avoid being in debt in January. Of course, you do not have to spend that much on Christmas, and you should not unless it fits into your budget. Whatever amount you decide that you can spend for Christmas 2023, you should start saving now. That is easier said than done, and it is unlikely to happen without plan.

What are your options for starting to set aside money now for Christmas 2023?

Christmas club account. Christmas clubs allow you to set aside an equal sum of money each week, month, or paycheck. Money cannot be withdrawn without penalty until November. The interest rates are on the low side; however, the plan is simple, it pays interest, and payments can be deducted from your paycheck. This was popular when I was a child, and I had such an account for many years.
Opening a savings special account just for Christmas. The idea is the same as the Christmas club, but you have access to the money at any time. So, you must be able to resist the temptation to withdraw the money for other expenses that arise during the year.
Creating a sub-account in an existing savings account. A sub-account allows you to save money for special events, such as Christmas, by automatically transferring money each month or pay period. To learn more about savings sub-account: https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/tip-using-sub-savings-accounts-for-unexpected-expenses/#:~:text=What%20is%20a%20sub%2Dsavings,each%20of%20my%20sub%2Daccounts.
Budgeting the money. If you have great self-control, you can simply budget the amount you need and not spend it on other things. Most people don’t have that much self-control so another option will work better.
Buy presents throughout the year. This is the strategy that I employ. I start shopping in the summer for gifts for my eight grandchildren. This allows me to pay for gifts a few at a time. This method works well, if it is done in conjunction with a budget. You must track your spending and stay within your budget.

Budgeting is important to manage your finance and control your spending on all categories. If you struggle with budgeting, I have many blog articles on creating budgets under the Finance tab. I have also published a Bible study, Honoring God with Your Money, to help you learn and implement godly principles of money management.

The Light Shining in the Darkness

December would be a dark and dreary month were it not for Christmas lights. Days are shorter, and the sun has set by the time I leave work. As I drive through the streets of our town and into our neighborhood, I am cheered by the bright lights of Christmas. White icicle lights hang from eaves, beautifully lit trees gleam through large picture windows, and brightly colored lights are draped around trees and shrubs. The lights bring joy and cheer. They remind us that darkness can not hide the light.

Town decorated for Christmas — Photo by Andrew Nevins on Pexels.com

The Bible does not provide the date of the birth of Christ. We do know that Jesus was born at a time of great spiritual darkness. His birth brought light into an oppressed world. The darkness of December, with the shortest days of the year, symbolize the oppression of sin and the heaviness of living in bondage,

Jesus’s birth was heralded with bright light, “And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.” Luke 2:9 The shepherds soon learned that they had nothing to fear, but rather a reason to celebrate. Jesus Christ, the Son of God and our Savior-to-be, had been born.

The words spoken by the prophet Isaiah had come to pass, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.” Isaiah 9:2

Jesus’s birth brought light to a darkened world. “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it….That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.” John 1:4-5,9

Darkness entered the world at the Garden of Eden, and ever since we have lived in a fallen world. The only escape from the darkness is to seek the Light. Jesus is that light. He has promised to reveal his light and his love to all who seek Him. During the Christmas season, I urge you to allow the true light of Christmas to permeate your heart and bring joy and peace into your life.

“Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.” Isaiah 60:1

Preparing for the Holiday Season

We are a few weeks into fall, and the holidays are just around the corner. The holiday season will not be back to “normal” this year, as covid-19 continues to wreck havoc with schedules and supply chains. It’s always a good idea to start early and have a plan. This year, planning ahead is more important than ever. Here’s some steps to help you have a blessed holiday season.
1) Savor time spent with family. Many of us will feel a bit more comfortable traveling this fall and having guests in our homes than we did last year. Make up for lost time. Invite family and friends for simple meals, fellowship, and games. Spend less energy planning the “perfect” event and more time enjoying being together with those you care about most.
2) Focus on the real reason for the holidays. Take time to reflect on how God has blessed your family during the past year. Even in challenging times, we are a blessed nation. Thank God for the blessings He has bestowed on you and for the gift of His Son, whose birth brought hope to a darkened world.
3) Avoid revenge spending. Many people have put their spending into high gear this year to make up for fewer opportunities to indulge in 2020. Economists have dubbed this phenomenon “revenge spending.” This is not a good idea. Spending more will not make your holidays merrier, and it might eat into savings accumulated last year.
4) Budget. In the next few months, you will be shopping for food, candy, gifts, and decorations for fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Plan now for spending, in accordance with your budgets.
5) Set aside time. Plan to take a few days off from work or set aside some Saturdays to begin shopping, planning menus, and start decorating.
6) Delegate. Share duties with your spouse, children, and family and friends with whom you will celebrate. They may come up with great, new traditions to include in your celebrations for many years to come, and you will save a lot of time.
7) Plan ahead and be flexible. The past year and half have taught us that we don’t know what the future holds from day to day. Covid-19 has presented us with new challenges and obstacles. Celebrations had to altered last year and that may be true again.
8) Start early. Covid-19 has played havoc with the supply chain. We experienced shortages last year, and we will again this year. Transportation of goods is taking longer. If there are items that are “must-haves” on your list, order early and be prepared to accept substitutes.

Photo by Kristina Paukshtite on Pexels.com

This is reprinted from my new quarterly blog which focuses on helping you manage your money in ways that reduce stress and honor God. Click here to subscribe to my quarterly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hG1VjT

I would love to hear about how you plan to celebrate the holidays this year. What will you differently to make this year special for your loved one?

It’s a Wonderful Time for Giving

It is now 3 weeks until Christmas. For those of us who like to prepare well in advance, our shopping is down to those last few hard-to-buy-for loved ones. Procrastinators still have 20 shopping days left and some have 18 or 19 days until they begin shopping.

Whether you have been done with your shopping for weeks or haven’t begun, there is still time for you to think of others who are less fortunate. It isn’t too late to put some money in the Salvation Army kettle or buy a gift for a needy child.

In case you haven’t decide which worthy charity to support this year, I am offering up a few of my favorites.

Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child–The ministry founded by Franklin Graham has provided shoe box gifts to 157 million children in impoverished countries for 25 years. It’s too late to drop off a box at a collection point, but there is still time to build a shoe box online. For a $25 donation, you can select items for a boy or girl. You pick the age range and are lead through the process of picking a Wow item, 2 small toys, and 3 accessories. Essential items, including toothbrush, comb, crayons, colored pencils, and a notebook, are added to each box. https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

Prison Fellowship Angel Tree Ministry–Donations to this ministry provide gifts to children who have an incarcerated parent. 2.7 million children in American have a parent in prison. Prison Fellowship provides gifts to more than 10 percent of those children using donations collected. To learn more about this ministry and/or make a donation, go to https://www.prisonfellowship.org/about/angel-tree/.

Toys for Tots–The Toys for Tots toys collection drive sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps since 1947 has another week or so left in their toy campaign to provide toys to less fortunate children. You can drop off a new toy at a collection bin and the toy will be given to a child in your area. Or you can make a cash donation. 97% of donations go to provide toys and 3% is used for fundraising expenses. To find your nearest collection site, go to https://www.toysfortots.org/donate/toys.aspx

These are just a few of the many organizations that are devoted to helping children in your community and around the world have a very Merry Christmas.

“The Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35.

May your family be blessed as you share His blessings with others this Christmas Season.

Sharing Christ’s Love With Shoebox Gifts

For many years my own family and my church family have participated in packing shoebox gifts to be distributed around the world by Samaritan’s Purse. It is that time of year again.

Shoeboxes to be sent to Samaritan’s Purse to distribute to children worldwide.

We will wrap shoeboxes or pick up the easy-to-identify green boxes with red lids at Christian book stores, Hobby Lobby’s, or Chick Fil A’s. Small toys, articles of clothing, school and craft supplies, and personal care items will be stuffed into each box. The boxes will be shipped to Samaritan’s Purse processing centers and then delivered to boys and girls by Samaritan’s Purse team members. For many of these children, the shoebox will be the first gift they have ever received.

Also packed into each box will be a booklet, The Greatest Gift, which tells the gospel story in the recipient’s own language. In this way, each child is introduced to the good news that Jesus died for their sins and rose again.

Sharing God’s love through shoebox gifts is a wonderful way to bless a child. These simple gifts remind, or inform, a child that God loves him and wants a relationship with him. They open the door for that child to be able to accept Jesus as his Savior and look forward to an eternity in Heaven. And that is truly the Greatest Gift of all.

I encourage everyone reading this to prayerfully participate in this ministry this year. Pray about whether you should pack a box for a boy or girl, pray for direction as you pack your box or boxes, and pray that the heart of each recipient will be open to the good news of the gospel.

Christmastime

A poem by Erica Green –December 2013

A tree in every window;

Shoppers fill the malls.

You hear the distant jingle bells

As people deck the halls.

“Christmastime is coming!”

You hear the people cheer,

“Buy more presents! Sing more songs!

The day is almost here!”

People don’t remember

All throughout the year,

They don’t think on goodwill toward men

Till Christmastime is near.

The baby in the manger.

A gift from God above,

Welcomed to earth by angels,

He was a gift of love.

So please try to remember,

As you trim the tree,

He gave the greatest gift of all,

The gift that set you free.

The Story of the Christmas Guest

When I was a child, we received a Christmas card featurning Helen Steiner Rice’s poem ‘The Story of the Christmas Guest.” This beautiful poem quickly became a favorite of mine. It reminds me of Jesus’s words to His disciples regarding caring for those in need found in Matthew 25:34 – 40

Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

I hope this poem speaks to your heart and reminds you that the true joy in Christmas comes from sharing God’s love with those He brings into your life.

The Story of the Christmas Guest

by Helen Steiner Rice

It happened one day at December’s end

Some neighbors called on an old-time friend.

And they found his shop so meager and mean,

Made gay with a thousand boughs of green.

And old Conrad was sitting with face ashine.

When he suddenly stopped as he stitched the twine.

And he said “My friends at dawn today,

When the cock was crowing the night away,

The Lord appeared in a dream to me.

And He said, ‘I’m coming your guest to be”

So I’ve been busy with feet astir,

Strewing my shop with branches of fir.

The table is spread and the kettle is shined,

And over the rafters the holly is twined.

And now I’ll wait for my Lord to appear;

And listen closely so I will hear,

His steps as he nears my humble place.

And I’ll open the door and I’ll look on his face.”

Then his friends went home and left Conrad alone,

For this was the happiest day he had known.

For long since his family had passed away.

And Conrad had spent many a sad Christmas Day.

But he knew with the Lord as his Christmas guest,

This Christmas would be the dearest and best.

So he listened with only joy in his heart,

And with every sound he would rise with a start,

And looked for the Lord to be at his door.

Like the vision that he had had a few hours before.

So he ran to the window after hearing a sound,

But all he could see on the snow covered ground

Was a shabby beggar whose shoes were torn.

And all his clothes were ragged and worn.

But old Conrad was touched and he went to the door

And he said, “Your feet must be cold and sore.

I have some shoes in my shop for you.

And I have a coat to keep you warmer, too.”

So with grateful heart the man went away.

But Conrad notice the time of day

And he wondered what made the dear Lord so late,

And how much longer he’d have to wait.

Then he heard another knock, and he ran to the door,

But it was only a stranger once more.

A bent old lady with a shawl of black,

And a bundle of kindling piled on her back.

But she asked only for a place to rest,

A place that was reserved, for Conrad’s great guest.

But her voice seemed to plead, “Don’t send me away,

Let me rest for awhile this Christmas Day.”

So Conrad brewed her a steaming cup

And told her to sit at the table and sup.

After she had left, he was filled with dismay

For he saw that the hours were slipping away

The Lord had not come as He said He would

And Conrad felt sure he had misunderstood.

When out of the stillness he heard a cry.

“Please help, me and tell me – Where am I?”

So again he opened his friendly door.

And stood disappointed as twice before.

It was a child who had wandered away,

And was lost from her family on Christmas Day.

Again Conrad’s heart was heavy and sad,

But he knew he could make this little girl glad.

So he called her in and he wiped her tears,

And he quieted all her childish fears.

Then he led her back to her home once more.

Then as he entered his own darkened door,

He knew that the Lord was not coming today,

For the hours of Christmas, had all passed away.

So he went to his room, and he knelt down to pray.

He said, “Lord, why did you delay?

What kept You from coming to call on me?

I wanted so much Your face to see.”

Then softly, in the silence, a voice he heard.

“Lift up your head – I have kept My word.

Three times my shadow crossed your floor.

Three times I came to your lowly door.

I was the beggar with bruised cold feet;

I was the woman you gave something to eat;

I was the child on the homeless street.

Three times I knocked, three times I came in,

And each time I found the warmth of a friend.

Of all the gifts, love is the best.

I was honored to be your Christmas guest.

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