We All Have a Story

Early morning trip out to fill up the pantry reminded me:  we all have a life story.

Met a new guest today.  They were looking in the pantry, which I knew didn’t have much in it because I had just checked it.  I popped out to say hello and ask what they would like. 

Turned out it was someone new.  They had a big duffel bag and a backpack. 

“Morning!  Can I get you something?  What are you hungry for?” I asked.

“Umm, groceries??” they replied.

“Sure thing, What kind of food do you like?  Do you eat meat?  Any allergies?” I checked.

“Nah…  Ummm, but… I don’t have a place to cook…” they embarrassingly admitted.

“No problem!  I got ya!  Hey, do you have a can opener?”.

They confirmed they did, so off I went.  I filled up a bag with things I thought would work for them to look thru – tuna, a summer sausage, veggies, fruits, drinks, cooked pasta, cooked meatballs, cereal, granola bars, cookies, snacks, and drinks.  Then I threw in a thick pair of socks and some handwarmers from Project Warmth.

I brought it out, “Here you go.  Look through here and see what you would like.  Hey, want a cup of coffee??”.

The smile.  The genuine smile.  “Oh, yes.  Yes.  I would really like a cup of coffee.”

“Whatcha take in it?”

“3 creams and 1 sugar.”

“OK then, I will go make that, you look through these things.  Anything you would like, KEEP.  Anything you don’t want, please help me by putting it in the pantry.”

As the coffee was brewing, I picked out 3 warm hats from the Project Warmth stash to give them a choice.  When I came back outside, they were working on fitting things into their bags.  “Feel free to take that little bag in there.  It folds up really small – it’s great for carrying extra things.”

I looked at what they had not chosen.  “Hey, you don’t want these MEATBALLS?  They are really good,” I showed them.

“Yeah, I don’t have anywhere to cook…” they reminded me.

“Ahh, these are COOKED!  You just have to heat them up.”

They still looked uncertain.

“And, I THINK, if you pop into the 7-11 and buy a coffee, they wouldn’t mind if you heat them in the microwave.  Just walk in and be cool, buy a coffee, and heat these up.”

The smile again.  YES – yes, to meatballs and pre-cooked pasta in a pouch.  Yes to the mashed potato and roast with gravy Compleats meal they had passed on.  And yes to the single serving of soup they hadn’t taken the first go round.

“You staying inside?” I asked casually as I put the items they hadn’t taken into the pantry for others.

“Nah.  But don’t worry,” they tried to reassure me.

I presented the 3 hats and they eagerly chose one and put it on right then and there. 

“Gonna snow tomorrow,” I cautioned.

“Really??” they replied, sounding concerned.

They noticed me putting a can of mangoes onto the shelf.  “You have fruit, too???” they sounded so excited.

“Sure do!  Mangoes and oranges,” I showed them.  They happily took both cans and found a space for them in the duffel bag.

“Have I met you before??” I asked them.

“No.  No, you have not.”

We exchanged names.  We shook hands.  And I couldn’t help but see – a wedding ring.  A nice one at that. 

The story…  What is the story…  Spouse pass away?  Perhaps addiction?  Lost job?  Mental illness?  House burn down?  Got behind on rent?

I have no idea.  This person was a couple years older than me.  Clean.  Pleasant.  Being out on the streets seemed to be new.  And it is a cold winter.

I can’t imagine.

They looked back at our house.  “This isn’t a SHELTER, is it??” they asked.

“No, no it is not.  It’s our home.”

“Remind me – what’s your name again?” they asked.

“Susan.  I am Susan.  And I will remember yours, because I have a relative with the same name.”

“Thank you.  Thank you.  You really made my day.”

I think I will see them again.  I hope so.  I hope the 7-11 is cool and lets them heat up some food.  I hope they have someplace to shelter from the rain and snow that is coming.  I hope that they can spend today at least with a full belly.

And I hope that this section of life, this bump in the road, doesn’t define their story. 

Because we ALL have a story.  I am happy that I could be a small part of theirs today.

Thank you to all who so graciously support the Little Yellow Free Pantry.  Without COMMUNITY, this effort (now almost to year 4) would never be possible.  We are currently in need of canned fruit of any kind, microwave popcorn, cans of corn of any type, cans of potatoes, canned sardines, shelf stable meatballs with sauce, Slim Jim type beef stick snacks, and single serving heat and eat cups of soup of any type.  If you are local and can drop off, please leave donations in the tan and green plastic bin on our front porch.  Or, you can find our Amazon wish list here:  Little Yellow Free Pantry Wish List

Looking for Momentum

Ever have times when it is hard to put one foot in front of the other and keep forward momentum?

That’s a rhetorical question - don’t feel the need to answer it.  I think we have ALL experienced that feeling.

I had it today, and a couple of chance encounters at the Little Yellow Free Pantry brought a little spring back into my step.

I was getting ready to put some things in the pantry when a woman got out of a parked car next to me.  I saw she was holding what looked like a coat, and she seemed to start off walking towards our house.

Not gonna lie, I thought, “Noooo!  We stopped taking donations for Project Warmth over a week ago!  We do not have SPACE for any more coats!”. 

But I took a quick breath.  I talked to myself (as I so often do) and said, “Susan, stop.  She is doing something KIND.  She is pitching in.  You know IT TAKES A VILLAGE.  Smile and accept this donation with grace,”.

So, I smiled.

“Hi!  Is that something for Project Warmth?” I said, gesturing to the front of our house.

She looked at me with a blank face... 

“This?  Oh, no!” she smiled.  “I don’t live around here.  This is a coat for my friend’s DOG!”

Ahhhhhh…  Embarrassing!  You see Susan, it is not all about you!  Not everyone who parks on this street is bringing something for one of your projects. 

“But, do you live here?  Is this your house??” she asked.

“Yeah, sure is.”

She took a step closer to me.  She looked me in the eyes. 

“It is an honor to meet you.  I have sent photos of the things you do at your home to people around the world, literally, around the world because I am an ex-pat.  I just love what you all do.”

There.  A spark.  Kind words of encouragement.  Fuel to give me the oomph to keep going.

“The warm clothes in front - I love it.  It’s amazing.  The sign encouraging people to take things if they are cold.  So personable and humane,” she said.

I babbled on about Project Warmth for a couple of minutes, we reminded each other of our names (hers is Jules 😊 ), and off she went to bring her friend the dog coat.

I felt better. 

Still had a headache.

Still moving in slow gear.

Still concerned about oh so many things.

But I felt better.

And then…

Just as I closed the little doors to the now full pantry, a couple I didn’t know rounded the corner.  The woman saw me and got a big grin.

“CAN I HUG YOU???” she asked enthusiastically. 

We hugged.  It was nice.

“I am in the same Buy Nothing group as you!  I got a table in there!”.

Connection. Community.  HUGS.

I grabbed a drink for her and the person she was with and got them both a little snack from the pantry, then they continued on their walk.

Such simple gestures.  Taking time to stop and talk.  Being brave enough to ask for a hug.

Simple.  But grand.  And oh so appreciated.

Our house this evening.  Peace sign from the holidays still up - but peace never gets old, does it?

A Shift In Perspective

I’m not gonna lie, sometimes working on the Little Yellow Free Pantry is exhausting.

Each time I fill it up requires 2 trips outside – first to check and see what is needed.  Then back inside, downstairs, fill the basket with necessary items, back upstairs, and outside again to put the items inside the pantry.

And sometimes…  Sometimes when I turn the corner on the sidewalk with my full basket, heading back to the pantry, I see a guest standing there.

And sometimes…

Sometimes instead of thinking, “Oh good!  A guest!  I will get to chat and give food directly to them!”, sometimes…  When I am tired or maybe cranky.  When I am rushed or stressed.  Sometimes I think the opposite…

“Ugh – a guest.  That means they may take most of what is in my basket.  Which means ANOTHER trip downstairs for me.  Fill the basket AGAIN.  Go outside AGAIN…”.

Sometimes I don’t see the guest as an opportunity for kindness, but as a burden on my time.

I admit that.  I dislike that I have that reaction sometimes, but I am being honest here – I DO feel that way sometimes.

As I did today.

I was taking a quick half hour lunch break from work.  Before I made something to eat, I popped out to the pantry to take stock of what was needed.  I made a mental list and headed down to the storage shelves.  I packed the basket nice and heavy and went back outside.

Turned the corner.

A guest.

My mind didn’t immediately snap to kindness mode.

It went to “burden mode”.

But I walked up and said hello to the guest anyway.

And item by item I offered them what I had just brought out. 

They smiled.  Said yes to many things, no to a few things.  We got into a rhythm – hold up item, say what it is, yes or no, put in bag or pantry.  Over and over and over.

“Oh yes!” to tuna.

“Yes please,” to cereal.

“Yes – for the children,” to ravioli.

“YESSSS!  OH YES PLEASE!” to a tube of toothpaste.

And in the end – a small candy bar.  “This is for YOU.  Not for children,” I said and smiled.

My mindset changed. 

This was not a burden. 

This was an opportunity.

An opportunity for engagement.  For interaction.  For COMMUNITY.

For kindness.

When we had gone through the basket the guest smiled and said, “I am so lucky today!!”.

Yes. 

You and me both.  So lucky today.

We stood in the sunshine.  We breathed in the fresh air.  We exchanged canned goods and smiles. 

Another day.  More luck.

Sometimes all it takes is a slight shift in perspective.

We Give, We Take

Dear neighbor who just delivered a bag of coats for Project Warmth -

Thank you.

Because of you, someone will be warmer tonight.

No, not because of the actual coats that you donated.

But because you donated.

You see, at Kindness Activist, we believe that everyone deserves to be warm.  Only, sometimes that mission is hard to get across to people.  And when you walked up with your donations, I was struggling to get through to a guest.

From my perspective, this guest needed some warm clothing.  Sure, they had on a fleece, and it looked like another layer underneath.  But they were wearing shorts.  And no mittens.  And it is not warm out. 

This is a person I have interacted with several times.  They are super sweet, quiet, reserved.  Every time I ask them if there is any food I can get for them inside – are they hungry for anything specific, do they need any toiletries, I always get a gentle smile and a, “Oh, no, no no…  I am fine,” in response.  I try to explain that it is no trouble – I can just run inside and fetch what they would like.  I tell them I do it for lots of people – it is no bother.  But no.  They will choose from what is in the pantry, no matter how bare it is when they arrive (after walking 2 miles to get here I think).

So today, today was the first time I have seen them since we started Project Warmth 4 days ago.  I rushed out to greet them – then paused and recalibrated myself to be calmer and not overwhelm them.  “Hey, we have something new happening!  We have winter coats to give away – loads of them.  Neighbors donated them.  Want a coat??” I offered.

And the response was the usual, “Oh, no, no, no…  I am fine”.

Donation bin chock full of amazing warm clothing

“Are you sure??  We have lots to choose from.  Look!” I said as I rushed up to the porch where donations waiting for me to process them were in a big bin.  “This one looks warm,” I said as I held up a like new looking jacket.

“Oh, umm, no thank you.  That is too fashionable for me…”.

Ahhh yes, why hadn’t I thought of that?  This is a fly under the radar type person…  I quickly dug through the bin – I had their attention for a only brief time.  I knew if they wanted a coat it had to be now… 

“Hey – this one looks good!  And warm!” I said as I held up another choice.

They smiled at that one, so I brought it down for a try on.  We examined it together – the pockets, the special “thumb holes”, the colors…  But they weren’t convinced.  And I don’t think it is that they didn’t want it.  It wasn’t that they didn’t need it.  It was that they felt they didn’t deserve it…

“What if someone else needs it more than me??  I would feel bad taking it…” they tried to explain.

I told them the coats are for EVERYONE.  Uber drivers pull over to get a coat.  Kids.  People walking by.  Everyone.

Still, they hemmed and hawed.

But then YOU walked up.

I saw you rounding the corner with a bag.  I wondered if you would stop here.  I wasn’t sure if it was food for the pantry or something warm that you carried, but I suspected you were coming to drop off.

And you didn’t bat an eye.

You didn’t turn around when you saw the backpack on the sidewalk at the guest’s feet, heavy blanket neatly rolled and tucked on top for carrying.  You didn’t stare at the person in shorts on a winter day.  You didn’t pause.  You didn’t judge.

You just walked up.

“Hi!  Is that a donation?” I asked.

“Yup!” you said as you handed me the bag of coats.  “Thanks!”.

And you left.

Just like that.

You normalized it.

People give.  People take.

We SHARE.

Because we all deserve to be warm.

I smiled at the guest.  “See??  She probably brought the things her family doesn’t wear anymore.  Like I told you, lots of people have brought things over,”.

And just like that – it was ok to take a coat. 

It was ok to accept the gift.

It was normal.  It was life.  They were deserving and they were worthy.

So, thank you neighbor.  You didn’t know it at the time, but your donation made a difference in a life today.  Because of YOU, someone will be warmer tonight.  And because of you, someone feels worthy. 

P.S. - they also accepted a pair of warm gloves.  

This great hat was donated and will find a new home soon

A Bit of Hope in the Cold

If you ever had any doubt whether donations to Project Warmth are needed or not, let me set the record straight.

We just had a guest who made me cry.

They are houseless.  They live in a tent.  They told my partner David the general vicinity of where it is once, and one day we went to check it out and say hello.  They were not home, but we got to see it.

It is a small tent.

Down a steep embankment.

Next to a stream.

In a little “forest” if you will.  With homes on the other side of the hill.

In the summer it might be a beautiful little setting – the creek splashing, birds singing…  A get-away from the hustle and bustle that is all around us.

But it is not summer.  It is bitterly cold here.  It’s so cold that the local public schools started 2 hours late today so the kids didn’t have to stand outside waiting for the bus in the worst of it.

I hadn’t seen this guest since Christmas day.  We gave them one of the holiday gift bags I think, I hope we did anyway, it’s hard to remember now.  I hadn’t seen them since December, but I certainly have thought of them.

“I hope they have gone into the shelter and are not still in the tent…” I thought.  “Surely they have gone indoors for THIS – the ground is covered in ice and snow.  They can’t possibly still be in the thin tent…”.

But they can still be in the tent.  And they are.

I saw them at the Little Yellow Free Pantry today and ran out to see if they needed anything.  They had finished and were walking down the sidewalk, so I had to yell to get their attention.

When they turned around, they smiled.

“I have not seen you in a long time – HAPPY NEW YEAR!” I greeted them.

Then, in their quiet voice with the beautiful French accent, they said, “Yes, I have not seen you.  I came many times, but you were not here.  I changed the times of my visit to see you, but you were gone.  I thought maybe a holiday?”.

Yes, my friend, a holiday.  To someplace warm. 

Talk about privilege…  I left my warm home, the one with the soft bed and the heated blanket, and flew to Florida.  There I walked on the sandy beach.  I lie in another soft bed.  I rested.  I recharged.

While this person shivered in a tent.

They had already found food in the pantry today (they collect food not only for themselves, but also for another person experiencing homelessness that is not healthy enough to come).  But PROJECT WARMTH has begun.  Warmth. 

“Have you moved inside??” I asked hopefully.

“No, no I have not,” they replied quietly.

Their hands were uncovered.  They stood holding their bag of food with cold, cold hands.

“Do you have mittens??” I asked.

“No, no I do not,” they told me.

If we gave them a gift bag there was a pair of stretchy cotton gloves inside, but those are not really warm, and this person had probably given them as a gift to his friend. 

“Sit here on our steps!  I will go get gloves.  I will be right back,” I told them.

When I returned with the first load, a neighbor and her child had arrived.  They were bringing a tiny snowsuit to donate.  It was touching - seeing a donor and a recipient both standing in the sunshine on the freezing sidewalk.

I presented the guest some amazing gloves someone had donated - black ski gloves that looked very, very warm.  “What about these?” I asked.  “Will this work for you or your friend??”.  Those were a resounding yes.

More trips inside and back out.

Sweatshirts.  Warm socks.  Hat (we only had one good hat at the moment, the others were too small, the rest are at the storage unit and need to be retrieved).  Long underwear shirt (which I had to explain, apparently those are not a thing in their home country).  Scarves.  A neck warmer.  And COATS.  For him – a big fluffy black coat with a warm hood.  For his friend, a tan coat with a sherpa-like lining.

So today, they left with two big bags.  One filled with food.  One filled with clothing. (And wearing their new coat, hat, and gloves.)

But this project may have the wrong title.  For as thick as those items are, I doubt they can bring warmth in this weather. 

But they will bring a bit of shelter from the cold.  A bit of comfort.  And perhaps a bit of hope.

Hope that spring will come early this year.

Hope that the snow will melt and the stream begin to babble again.

And hope that someday for them as it is for me – there will be a warm house with a soft bed.

Hope. 

15 Stops of Kindness Warms My Heart

So many people are amazingly kind and help out in our work at Kindness Activist.  I get often get texts and messages asking if we know of anyone who needs a specific item, or if the pantry could use x, y, or z.  The outpouring of support is very heartwarming and gives me energy to keep going.

And every once in a while, a very specific offer of support comes in, maybe one I didn’t even know I needed, that gives me such joy.

An offer like that came in yesterday.

A lovely neighbor named Sally sent me this message: “Hi there. The kids are up for a Buy Nothing blitz tomorrow to find items for Project Warmth. If you post another “in search of” ask in the Facebook group, I can take the kids out tomorrow to pick items up and save in my shed for you until the 20th.”

This.

THIS is the kind of specificity that you don’t know you need until it is offered.

You see, we host a big annual event called Project Warmth.  We collect good condition, clean winter clothing items from the community and put out a few of the things at a time in front of our home on a very busy corner near Washington DC. 

It is amazing how many people need hats and scarves and sweaters and coats and boots…  We give away a lot of items each year – last year we handed out over 100 coats (we didn’t count the other items)!!  We hang them out – maybe one sweatshirt, a coat, a hat, some new socks, a pair of mittens…  Then, as an item finds a new home, we replace it.  We do this several times a day, every day, for a couple of winter months each year.

It may sound easy, but it is a lot of work.  I need to put out asks for donations.  I often have to go pick them up.  Sometimes they are dropped off on our front porch (once so many were dropped off right in front of the door that I could not open it to get outside and had to go out the back door and walk around). 

Then I have to SORT them.  I have to make sure each glove/mitten has a mate.  Have to make sure they are CLEAN – we ask donors to only donate clean items but sometimes things come in that need to be laundered, so that means running loads of laundry.  I need to test zippers and check for holes and the like.  Anything that doesn’t pass the “good condition” test needs to get donated somewhere else – yet another step to be done. 

And we need to keep an eye on the project.  If the sweater gets taken, we need to bring out a new one.  If it rains, we need to bring everything in before it gets too wet.  And we need to STORE the things at our home all winter so they are accessible to grab and give.

It is a lot of work.

But this offer from a neighbor that came from out of the blue – this took a big load off of me.  And it not only helped me, it was great for people who had things to donate and were holding onto them until the January 20, 2025 start date.  I started asking for things a couple of weeks ago but requested they not be brought to our home until we began for the season, so some families were just waiting with bags of things until it was time.

And, because of Sally and her kids, for 15 households, today was time!!

Yup – between my ask at around 9:00 PM Saturday night and 7:30 AM Sunday morning, 15 people had commented that they would love to take Sally and the kids up on their offer to come by and pick up donations.  That’s a lot of stops!!

S. (age 10) helped his mom plan out the route by plugging addresses into GPS.  I talked to him via video when they were all done collecting and he said that the work was a bit more than he expected 😊.  He explained that he had carried all of the bags of donations (with ice and snow on the ground, mind you!) from the households to the vehicle and that the bags were heavy.  The GPS told them that the 2-hour drive of 15 stops took them on a route of just under 5 miles. 

Most of the donors left the bags of items out for pick up, but S. said that a couple of the households answered the door and talked with them.  He claimed the whole thing was his sister H’s idea (though I suspect it may have been influenced by mom).  While he hauled the heavy bags, H. documented everything by taking photos on an iPad.  “She is obsessed with taking pictures,” the big brother grinned.  “She probably took about 100,000 pictures.”  That’s my kind of girl!  I love photos!  Sadly, the pics she shot are in a fancy black and white coloring app and can't be shared outside the app, so we will have to make due with photos her mom took :) . 

You may remember these kids from a piece I wrote last year.  In that act of kindness, they handed out bottled water to neighbors when a boil alert came down from the county.  These two are KIND KIDS.

And, like so many times we are kind in life, it turns out that the act not only helped the people whose donations were collected, it not only helped me by taking that task off my plate, and it not only helped the people who will benefit from getting the warm clothing.

It also helped the people doing the kind act.

You see, this family has close ties to California.  They have friends who have been impacted from the fires.  “Feeling pretty paralyzed by all the people we know in California who have lost homes this week, with little we can do from here but donate cash,” Sally told me.  “So, it was nice to be able to do something with our morning that we know will directly help keep people here safe and warm.”

THIS.  So much this.  So often when we go out of our way to do kind things, an unexpected result is that we end up feeling better, happier. 

THANK you Sally and kids.  Thank you for giving of your time and your energy and your gas (and your wicked photography skills) to pick up all of those items and store them in your shed. 

THANK you, neighbors who donated today.  Your winter gear will help make someone much warmer.

And THANK YOU, universe, for putting people in my life who are supportive, kind, and downright amazing. 

If you would like to donate items to Project Warmth, we will officially begin collecting on January 20, 2025.  All donations must be clean and in good condition.  The following items (in all sizes) are needed:

-         Coats

-         Sweaters

-         Hats

-         Mittens/gloves

-         Boots

-         Snow pants/bibs

-         Scarves

-         Sweatshirts

-         New socks

Donations can be delivered to our home in South Arlington starting January 20^th.  If you would like to participate and need the address, please email us at:  KindnessActivist@gmail.com 

The Magic of Santa - 2024 Santa Project Recap

Mailing their letters to Santa!

You know an event has become a community staple when participants “graduate”. 

2024 was year 5 of the Santa Project, and some kids who have written letters in previous years graduated to “see behind the curtain” and help out with the magic. 

Two kids who have written letters and gotten gifts in previous years volunteered as wrappers.  And one family totally turned the tables – 2 of the kids came to the Countdown Calendar to get treats as we were nearing the closing of the Santa writing desk.  I reminded them to get their letters turned in soon because they needed to get to the North Pole in time.  They understood the urgency and said they would write them that evening.  A couple of hours later, the parents surprised me by reaching out to ask how the family could help.  Instead of writing, they wanted to give.  They “adopted” a family of letter writers and the kids helped shop to grant the wishes and wrap the presents.  Perfect!

Another sweet letter writer showed up at our door the afternoon we were frantically preparing for the community caroling event.  “Hi, I am here to help.  Not to SING, but to help,” the tween announced.  I panicked…  Our living room was full of gifts from Santa, and if I allowed this child into our home, she would see it all and it would spoil the magic.  On the other hand…  I was totally overwhelmed and needed to get things ready for caroling…

“Oh great!” I told her, frantically trying to figure out what to say as I stood in the doorway to block sight of the room full of presents.  “Ummm, uhhh, how do you, ummm, feel about SANTA??” I asked awkwardly.

“Ummm, I like him…” she said…

I stared at her.  She stared back.

“I mean, ummm, I don’t believe in him, but I like him and all.  I would never ruin the magic for anyone else who believes in him,” she clarified.

Well my friend, COME ON IN AND STIR THIS TWO HUGE POTS OF HOT COCOA FOR ME, PLEASE!

As she stirred and I put song sheet packets together, she explained that she wrote a letter to Santa because her dad told her to 😊 .  And because her little brother is a believer.

We also had a kid try to debunk the Santa “myth” very loudly this year while visiting the Countdown Calendar.  The oldest child had somehow learned or decided that Santa was not real.  However, the youngest child is a strong believer in the magic.  I didn’t know that the eldest had “found out” but I knew he hadn’t written a letter, so I prodded him.  “Hey, did you write a letter to Santa this year?” I asked when the family came to get their Countdown Calendar treats and pick up the youngest’s present from under the tree.

“Oh, Miss Suuuusan,” he said with a roll of his big beautiful eyes.  “Santa isn’t REALLL.  I am not going to write him, because he is make-believe,” he said far too loud to just be telling ME, but obviously trying to get the hint to his little sister, too.

I panicked!!  Do not spoil the magic right here on my front porch, kid!!! 

Luckily the Countdown Calendar was in the perfect spot.  His sister on one side of the calendar, very engaged in scouring gifts under the tree to see if there was one with her name on it.  The parents were on the other side of the calendar.  And lucky for all of us, we share a common language of American Sign Language!  I quickly signed to them, “HE IS SAYING THAT SANTA IS NOT REAL!  AND HE IS SAYING IT LOUDLY!!”. 

They joined in my panic. 

They pulled the little boy onto the other side of the calendar to give him a stern look and a “shhhhhhhhhh” warning.

But…  The magic was happening…

Because you see, under the tree, little sister found a gift addressed to her BROTHER…  Yes, Santa had delivered a gift for him, even without a letter! 

“Hey!!  HEY!!!” she exclaimed very loudly.  “LOOOOK!  LOOK!  COME HERE!  He brought you one!  He brought you one!  Even though you didn’t write him a letter, he brought you a gift!!!!” she squealed.

The once rolling eyes now darted to the tree.  Proud little sister held up the gift – “LOOK!!!”.

Well now, that certainly made it hard not to believe, didn’t it?

The mom messaged me later saying: “We started to talk to him about Santa for his sister, but then by Christmas Eve he was so excited and was writing a letter to Santa Claus and helping get everything set up… So, we looked at each other and said, “Maybe tell him later/for next year”. Christmas morning he was fine, so excited and still believing/believable. Here’s a letter about your gift ! Thank you again!!!”

 

Last minute scramble - letter to Santa on Christmas Eve

P.S. - I put together the Lego kit you brought me
early so you could see it :) 

So, we eeked out another year with that kid. 

 

One of the instructions included on the letter writing desk asks that children include the name and contact info for an adult in their life.  But every year some people miss that bit and mail letters with just their name, wish list, and address.  In years past, we have been too busy and overwhelmed to deliver those gifts ourselves so have relied on kind volunteers to do that.  But this year we took time to bring the presents to the addresses, and boy am I glad we did.  It was amazing!

 

Two siblings wrote letters to Santa and included only an address.  The girl had not only asked for a gift for herself, but asked if Santa Claus might also, “Bring something my mom and dad would like to surprise them”.  I could tell from the tone of the very long letter that this child was testing the waters…  They were not sure if Santa was real and were laying down some challenges to see if he could pass muster.  (For example, she asked Santa sneak into her room and take a picture of her sleeping in her bed, print it using the dad’s printer, and leave it for her to see in the morning…  That request was tricky (and funny) on so many levels…)*

Anyway, Santa wrote reply letters to both children and also got gifts for the mom and dad (as much (if not more) to help extend the belief in the magic for the child as to give the adults something).  He wrote a letter to the parents too, of course 😊 .

 

But the address listed was an APARTMENT…  With a locked front door…  David and I drove over one evening with our car full of gifts but could not get inside since the keypad thing didn’t work and no one was coming or going.  We tried again the next day, hoping to see a resident arrive or leave so we could tailgate them.  It worked!

 

We got in the elevator with the presents and headed to the apartment.  Knocked – no answer.  Knocked again – no answer.  We thought we may have failed on the second attempt.

 

But no.  Our patience in knocking and waiting paid off because after a bit, the mamma opened the door. 

 

Turns out she was home alone so was hesitant to answer the door.  She saw our arms loaded with gifts through the peep hole, opened the door, looked surprised, and gestured for us to come in.  We tried to explain the situation but our Spanish is not great.  She seemed to understand and excused herself to make a phone call.  “Coming!” she told us after she hung up.

 

We chatted a bit as we waited.  Admired their sweet Christmas tree.  She apologized for the state of the apartment (which looked good to us) and her English (which was way better than our Spanish).  Finally, after about 10 uncomfortable minutes, the door opened.

 

The brother and sister letter writers appeared and smiled when they saw the presents.  “Hi!  It seems like Santa may have delivered your gifts to our house!  Are one of you named GIA?” we asked. 

 

The little girl got excited.  “Yes!!  I am Gia!!” and we handed her her gifts.

 

“And is someone here named Matheo??” we questioned.

 

The boy raised his hand and Gia pointed, “HIM!”.

 

We gave him his gifts.

 

And that left one pretty box in our arms.

 

“Well, this is odd…” we said.  “It looks like there is one here for GIA’S PARENTS??  Did you write to Santa??” we asked the parents.

 

And little Gia’s eye LIT UP. 

 

“NO!  I did!  I asked for him to bring gifts for my parents!!!” she exclaimed delightedly.

 

It.  Was.  Magic.

 

All 4 family members had stunned grins on their faces.  They thanked us and we said our goodbyes.  I hope Santa did well at picking out things for the parents.  As he wrote in the letter to them: 

 

“Dear Gia’s Mom and Dad,

 

Hi – Santa here. 

 

I am not sure if you know this, but Gia snuck in a wish for YOU two in the Christmas letter that she sent me.  Yes, that little cutie asked me to bring something that you like to “surprise my mom and dad”. 

 

Only, it’s been so long since I have had a letter from you, I am not really sure what it is you like these days.  Awkward…

 

Mom – I went through a lot of things trying to decide what to bring.  A bag of sugar?  No – heavy for the sleigh, and really you could just pick that up at the grocery store.  A Lego set?  The ones with the flowers are really pretty, but I wasn’t sure if you had time to sit down and do Lego…  A pair of earrings!  But then Mrs. Claus reminded me that I don’t know if you have pierced ears or not…

 

So, I settled on this.  I hope you like it. 

 

Dad – same for you.  I wracked my brain thinking of the perfect gift to surprise you.  Bowling shoes were my first choice!  I love bowling.  But what size??  Then I considered a book – but what if I chose one you had already read?  I considered a skateboard…  But I didn’t really want to be responsible if you happened to fall and break a leg (you know how that goes). 

 

So, I settled on THIS.  It’s not much, but it is useful.  And fun.  Plus, it is something you can share with Gia, who started this whole thing anyway by writing to me.

 

But I guess what I am here to say is this:  your real gift is your daughter. 

 

A kid so amazing that she asked for something for YOU for Christmas.  She is one in a million, that kid.  You are raising her right.  She is lucky to have you (and vice versa, of course).

 

Enjoy your gifts.  And hey – don’t be a stranger.  I would love to hear what you have been up to the last couple of decades.”

 

We delivered gifts to another family, too.  This address was close enough to walk to, so one dark night we pulled on our winter gear, loaded up a wagon with gifts for not 2, not 3, but SEVEN kids and headed out into the cold.

 

The home was tiny and we could see a Christmas tree through a very foggy picture window.  David knocked on the door and I stayed in the driveway with the wagon full of presents.

 

An adult answered and David asked for one of the children by name.  He quickly came to the door and David explained that for some reason Santa had delivered the family’s gifts to our home and we were here to make sure they got them. 

 

One little girl held the door open as one by one I handed David a gift and he called out for the recipient.  There were giggles and cheers as each person received their present.

 

I had heard someone call the girl who was holding the door open by name so held her gift for last to up the suspense.  When it was finally her turn, oh was she excited.  They thanked us and as the door closed you could hear the celebration and see the joy through the big dripping window.  We felt like we were in a Hallmark movie.  It was perfect.

 

Oh, there are so many stories I could share.  The child who showed up about 3 days before Christmas and put his letter in a cubby of the Countdown Calendar, letting Santa know not only was it Christmas coming up, but his birthday, too.  The kids who asked for world peace.  The neighbor who scored a Barbie Dream House on Black Friday and donated it, allowing us to grant a wish that was way over budget for a child who has a very hard life.  The many, MANY donors all around the country who ordered soooo many presents from wish lists.  The lovely family (led by an amazing patriarch) who once again reached out and got involved in a major way.  The woman in her 40s who had a very rough childhood and had never once gotten a gift from Santa (spoiler alert – Santa made up for it this year).  The newborn babies who got presents and their mothers reached out to say thank you and saying how much they cried at reading Santa’s letters.  The child who asked for green slippers and was delighted that they “make him taller”.  So.  Many.  Stories.

 

A very happy gift recipient

The Santa Project is a labor of love.  It consumes well over a month of my life.  It is exhausting, sometimes frustrating, but ever so rewarding. 

THANK YOU to the children who believe.

THANK YOU to the volunteers who wrap.

THANK YOU to the neighbors who bring over casseroles and cookies and wine to ensure we are eating (and drinking) during the process.

THANK YOU to the amazing friend who translates letters and contacts parents that I cannot communicate easily with.

THANK YOU to the kind humans who support the project by donating gifts. 

Without all of you, this could not happen. 

It truly takes a village.  And as I am so often reminded, I sure ended up in a great one.

Happy holidays. 

May the magic of the season stay in our hearts year-round.

 

All together 221 letters to Santa were mailed to the North Pole (via our house) in 2024.  As always, there were some funny ones, some confusing ones, and some that made me tear up.  Each of those letters received a custom reply from Santa, along with a beautifully wrapped gift/gifts. 

Just a fraction of the many, many gifts Santa brought

To me, the Santa Project (and everything else Kindness Activist does) is not about the numbers.  It is about the magic.  But I understand that statistics are important so will share them here:

·      221 letters to Santa

·      512 packages wrapped (many kids get multiple gifts, all follow the same budget)

·      30 amazingly kind volunteer elves wrapped presents

·      106.5 hours of wrapping took place

·      Approximately $9,250 spent in total (including wrapping supplies, paper, envelopes, and ink for letters)

·      Of that, $1853.30 was funded by Kindness Activist, the rest by amazing donors

·      I have no idea how many hours of Santa letter writing, online shopping,  online registry making, and pacing I did this year

·      And countless hours of love and support from my main elf, David

Santa gets lots of great artwork every year

  

Here are some comments on the 2024 project:

“Thank you for the thoughtful gifts.  The girls were jumping up and down and squealing with delight.”

“THANK YOU SANTA!!!” – shouted at the sky, arms flung open wide, by a 4 year old child after she opened her gift on our front steps

“Thank you for bringing such magic into our lives. We cherish the Santa letters and, most of all, I cherish your friendship, kindness, and love that you’ve shared with us over the years. You truly are a bright light to even the darkest situations and make the world a better place.”

“The kids were beyond excited to open their Santa gifts this evening! Thank you so much for bringing so much joy to our families and so many others these past three years.  We read your letters from the past couple years which we saved in our book, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas and the boys were giggling at the memories.” 

“This was a very special morning for both children. Thank you so much!”

“Dear Santa, while I was reading your letter I remembered again that little girl who deep down is still inside me. And sometimes I forget some things. I cried. When I read this letter, I cried like I did when I was a little girl. The difference is that this time I was a happy little girl. I am sure that I will carry that with me every day that God gives me in life. Thank you very much, I have been so happy. Like a little girl again.  Thank you very much for everything. And my loves are very happy with the gifts. You are angels in our lives. May God always take care of you.”

“Thank you for bringing so much joy to our family and so many others.”

“I just wanted to express my heartfelt thanks for everything you have done for my daughter, for me, and for all those you have graciously assisted in bringing gifts from Santa Claus.  Thank you thank you, thank you for all that you do!  Sending you lots of love and hugs.” 

 

*In case you are curious, this is how Santa responded to the request to sneak into a child’s bedroom, take a photo of said child sleeping, print it on the father’s computer, and leave it for the child to see the next morning:

“Now – to your request about taking a photo of you and printing it out.  As a rule, I try not to disturb children as they sleep.  After all, I do not want to wake them.  If they would wake up when they hear me opening their bedroom door, or hear the camera take the picture, then I would have to stay for an hour or two chatting.  And honestly, Christmas Eve is just soooo busy that I don’t have time for that you know?  I tell you what.  IF I am running early (and that is very, very, very, very, very, very rare) on Christmas Eve, I will take a photo.  I am not sure I know how to work your dad’s printer, but if I take the picture I shall try.  But please do not get upset if you do not see a picture of you sleeping because, like I said, I can only try to do it if the weather has been perfect and gift deliveries in Australia, New Zealand, and several other countries I visit before the United States of America go perfectly (which rarely happens).”

 

This is a piece I wrote and published earlier about a child who shared graciously their gift with me:

Every family does the holidays differently.

In the same way, every family utilizes the Santa Project differently.

Some parents sneak over and get the gifts for their kids then hide them away until Christmas morning, where they magically appear under their tree.

Other kids open them in the car after they pick them up.

And a FEW kids sit down right on our porch and rip into them.

That's happened with 3 children this year and it is magical.

Today it was Gianni. He isn't a child we know - doesn't come to our house often. But what a kind, gentle kid!! He was soooo excited.

First, he saw the candy cane on top of one of his gifts. Well, that in and of itself was a win.

Then he opened the bubble gum making kit he had asked for. Such delight! "I got watermelon!! And orange!!" he said happily as he announced the flavors on the package.

His letter from Santa was on that first box he opened, so he paused in ripping off wrapping paper to listen to his mom read it. He answered Santa's questions out loud as mom read them.

When Santa got to the part about the Chupa Chups Melody Pop he had asked for, oh did he get excited. You could see the wheels in his tiny head turning - "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness - one of these other wrapped boxes must have a Chupa Chups Melody Pop in it!!" you could see his brain whirring.

Then the letter from Santa said this: "I looked at your list and it made me smile. You see, I like Chupa Chupa melody pop candy, too! Not only does it TASTE GOOD, it SOUNDS GOOD, too! Double the fun, right? I was going to put one Chupa melody pop in with your present, but then I got to thinking: if I like these things, and Gianni likes these things, maybe Gianni’s friends like these things, too… So, instead of just giving you one for you to enjoy, I told the elves, “Let’s give him some for his friends, too!!”. So please understand, some of these are to share. Of course, some are for YOU, it is your gift after all. But please do not eat allllll of them Gianni. That would make your tummy hurt!"

And he squealed with delight. THERE WAS GOING TO BE MORE THAN ONE CHUPA CHUPS!! He ripped into the next package. Nope - not candy - this one was invisible ink...

Last package. The suspense was mounting... Paper off...

Wait - what is that peeking out the top of the box?? HE RECOGNIZED THE STICK OF THE POPS!!

He opened that little box to find not 1, not 2, but I think 15 Chupa Chups Melody Pops. "Gianni, do you have friends? Cuz you have a lot of these to share!!" I asked him. He assured me that he does indeed have buddies.

I laughed with him and asked how the melody pops work as he looked through to see the flavors he got.

Then he said, in his quiet little voice, "Do you want one??".

 

He was sharing with ME. I had to ask him to repeat because I thought I must've misheard him over the traffic.

"Do you want one???".

SURE!

He gave me one and I started unwrapping it.

"Here - I'll help!" he said as he took it from me.

His tiny hands worked hard to get the wrapper off. Then his tiny hands were on my lollipop. But I didn't care. Germs be damned, Gianni was sharing his Christmas gift with ME. What an honor.

He showed me how to do it and I whistled and tooted a bit. Then other kids came up for gifts and countdown calendar treats, and a pantry guest arrived that needed food for him and his friend (both living outside in the frigid winter air). It was time for me to get back to work.

I didn't get to thank you, Gianni.

But THANK YOU. Your gift of a Melody Pop was much bigger than you could ever imagine. You shared your joy. You let me witness your wonder. Magic.