Giving Trees

Filed Under christmas | 32 comments

What is it about a Tree that is so magnificent and grand?

Someday– God willing– I hope to be planted with a Tree– where someone will perhaps stop, sit  and read a book,  or just  for a while to enjoy the view and think. I can’t imagine a sweeter resting place than near a tree that gives so much and expects so little.

So today we will look at different types of trees.

Especially the Christmas tree — we decorate it, celebrate it and sing round it and about it.

One of my favorites is Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree. What a simple little guy– with such simple beauty. (ok now this version is the dolled up version BEFORE we really saw the simple one with the simple ornament.

Snow crystals grab hold tight!

 Out side brought in – in Christmas village style.

Lit trees

Even these darling Racoons love their Christmas tree.

~~~ In the Spirit of all Trees Giving ~~~ continuing with my Christmas Stories– I give you

The Giving Tree

I was a single parent of four small children, working at a mini-mum-wage job. Money was always tight but we had a roof over our heads, food on the table, clothes on our backs and, if not a lot, always enough. My kids told me that in those days they didn’t know we were poor. they just thought Mom as cheap. I’ve always been glad about that.

It was Christmas time and although there wasn’t money for a lot of gifts, we planned to clebrate with chruch and family, parties and friends, drives downtown to see the Christmas lights, special dinners, and by decorating our home.

But the big excitement for the kids was the fun of Christmas shopping at the mall. They talked and planned for weeks ahead of time, asking each other and their grandparents what they wanted for Christmas. I dreaded it though. I had save $120 for presents to be shared by all five of us.

The big day arrived and we started out early. I  gave each of the four kids a twenty-dollar bill and reminded them to look for the gifts that cost about four dollars each. Then we all scattered. We had two hours to shop; then we would meet back at the “Santa’s workshop” display.

Back in the car driving home, everyone was in high Christmas spirits, laughing and teasing each other with hints and clues about what they had bought. My younger daughter, Ginger, who was about eight years old, was unusually quiet. I noted she hand only one small, flat bag with her after her shopping spree. I could see enough through the plastic bag to tell that she had bought candy bars– fifity-cent candy bars! I was so angry. What did you do with that twenty dollar bill I gave you? I wanted to yell at her, but I didn’t say anything until we got home. I called her into my bedroom and closed the door, ready to be angry again when I asked her what she had done with the money. This is what she told me.

“I was looking around, thinking of what to buy, and I stopped to read the little cards on one of the Salvation Army’s ‘Giving Trees.’ One of the cards was for a little girl, four years old, and all she wanted for Christmas was a doll with clothes and a hairbrush. So I took the card off the tree and bought the doll and the hairbrush and took it to the Salvation Army booth.”

“I only had enough money left to buy candy bars for us,” Ginger continued. “But we have so much and she doesn’t have anything.”

I never felt so rich as I did that day.

Kathleen Dixon

Stop by and visit sweet Susan at A Southern Daydreamer– where she is the Hostess of Outdoor Wednesday. She is an inspiration– and also check out her monthly help on all Christmas Shows on TV  guide.

Enjoy this blessed season!

TTFN~~Claudia ♥ ♥

December 8, 2009 at 9:29 pm | christmas | 32 comments

Trouble at the Inn

Filed Under christmas | 20 comments

Like all things fun and memorable, I have so enjoyed thinking of which of my favorite stories to share with you next.

                                                                       (unknown source)

 

Trouble at the Inn

 

For many years now, whenever the Christmas pageants are talked about in a certain little town in the Mid-west, someone is sure to mention the name of Wallace Purling. Wally’s performance in one annual production of the nativity play has slipped into the realm of legend. But the old-timers who were in the audience that night never tire of recalling exactly what happened.

Wally was nine that year and in the second grade, though he should have been in the fourth. Most people in town knew that he had difficulty in keeping up. He was big and clumsy, slow in movement and mind. Still, Wally was well liked by the other children in the class, all of whom were smaller than he, though the boys had trouble hiding their irritation when Wally would ask to play ball with them, or any game for that matter, in which winning was important.

Most often they’d find a way to keep him out, but Wally would hang around anyway- not sulking, just hoping. He was always a helpful boy, a willing and smiling one, and the natural protector of the underdog. Sometimes if the older boys chased the younger ones away, it would always be Wally who’d say, “Can’t they stay? They’re no bother.”

Wally fancied the idea of being the shepherd with a flute in the Christmas pageant that year, but the plays director, Miss Lumbard, assigned him to be a more important role. After all, she reasoned, the Innkeeper did not have too many lines and Wally’s size would make his refusal of lodging to Joseph more forceful.

And so it happened that the usual large partisan audience gathered for the town’s yearly extravaganza of beards, crowns, halos and a whole shameful of squeaky voices. No one on or off stage was more caught up in the magic of the night than Wallace Purling. They said later that he stood in the wings and watched the performance with such fascination that from time to time Miss Lumbard had to make sure he didn’t wander on stage before his cue.

 Then the time came when Joseph appeared, slowly, tenderly guiding Mary to the door of the inn. Joseph Knocked hard on the wooden door set into the pained backdrop. Wally the innkeeper was there, waiting.

“What do you want?” Wall said, swinging the door open with a brusque gesture.

“We seek lodging.”

“Seek it elsewhere.” Wally looked straight ahead but spoke vigorously. “The Inn is filled.”

“Sir, we have asked everywhere in vain. We have traveled far and are very weary.”

“There is no room in this inn for you.” Wally looked properly stern.

 “Please, good innkeeper, this is my wife, Mary, she is heavy with child and needs a place to rest. Surely you must have some small corner for her, she is so tired.” 

Now, for the first time, the Innkeeper relaxed his still stance and looked down at Mary. With that, there was a long pause, long enough to make the audience a bit tense with embarrassment.

“No! Be gone!” the prompter whispered from the wings.

“No!” Wally repeated automatically. “Be gone!”

Joseph sadly placed his arm around Mary and Mary laid her head upon her husband’s shoulder and the two of them started to move away. The Innkeeper did not return inside his Inn however. Wally stood there in the doorway, watching the forlorn couple. His mouth was open, his brow creased with concern, his eyes filling unmistakably with tears.

And suddenly this Christmas pageant became different from all the others.

“Don’t go, Joseph,” Wally called out. “Bring Mary back.” And Wallace Purling’s face grew into a bright smile. “You can have my room.”

Some people in the town thought that the pageant had been ruined. Yet there were others — many, many others– who considered it the most Christmas of all Christmas pageants they had ever seen.

 

 

By Dian Donahue

 Thanks so much for sweet Mary at Little Red House Mosaic Monday; her generousity and friendship is one I look forward to every Monday.

Enjoy this blessed season!

TTFN~~ Claudia  ♥ ♥

December 6, 2009 at 10:54 pm | christmas | 20 comments

Christmas Short Story

Filed Under christmas | 20 comments

 

It’s that time of year when I wax nostalgic and break into the old photos of long ago.

Reminiscent of the Polar express I would set the train under the tree. Often I would find my sweet daughter laying on her tummy just watching the twinkling lights. (heck who wouldn’t choose that option — when your older brothers were just in the next room sucker punching one another.)

Tradition in my home was the nightly reading of short stories, throughout the month of December. I miss those tender moments…

Sooo in  the spirit of good things gone by I thought I would choose some of my most favorite  and share them with you for the next couple of weeks.

Be prepared… they will tug at your heart– so break out the box of Kleenex and enjoy!

The Gift

The African boy listened carefully as the teacher explained why it is that Christians give presents to each other on Christmas day. “The gift is an expression of our joy over the birth of Jesus and our friendship of each other.” she said.

When Christmas day came, the boy brought the teacher a sea shell of lustrous beauty. “Where did you ever find such a beautiful shell?” the teacher asked as she gently fingered the gift.

The youth told her that there was only one spot where such extroaodinary shells could be found. When he named the place, a certain bay several miles away, the teacher was left speechless.

“Why…why, it’s gorgeous… wonderful, but you shouldn’t have gone all that way to get a gift for me.”

His eyes brightening, the boy answered, “Long walk part of gift.”

By Gerald Horton Bath

Please visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound  and the gang as celebrate Pink – or tones of pink — RED for this fun month.

Enjoy the precious season…

TTFN~~ Claudia ♥ ♥

December 5, 2009 at 12:43 am | christmas | 20 comments

Quiet Snow

Filed Under December | 34 comments

Have you ever walked out side and find that Snow had quietly crept up on us?

 No wind blowing – just the Quiet being very LOUD.  I find myself whispering– as to not disturb.

 

I hopped in my car to capture this soft snow fall–

The snow sure shows up when you Flash her! 

My Mother’s sweet house.

 

As I was driving home this evening, I looked in my rear view mirror to see the Mormon Temple glowing like this. All I could whisper was …”wow.”

Photography in the dark is certainly not my forte`- but this was a fun adventure.

Make sure you stop by and say hi to Susan at A Southern Daydreamer. See who else is sharing their Outdoor Fun!

Also all the Christmas-ie stuff over at  The inspired room with Melissa.

Be sure and stop back as I start my series of touching Christmas Short stories.

TTFN~~  Claudia ♥ ♥

December 1, 2009 at 9:52 pm | December | 34 comments

Comments

Back  Back to Top   « Previous Page