Coats of Kindness (and Much More!)

How about another update on how Kindness Yard Sale funds are being used?  Thinking about where the money goes makes me feel happy and hopeful, I hope it does you, too!

Black History Month Library – Representation Matters.  And there are not a lot of children’s books for Black children.  So, when a neighbor said she was looking for books to read with her child for Black History Month, I knew where some Kindness Yard Sale money would go – a little Black History Month library for the neighborhood! 

                                                               

I ordered 16 great books from Amazon and added more that I had in my collection.  I got a plastic bin, printed up a sign-out sheet with Covid cleaning protocols, and let the neighbors know the library was open (our local county library is closed due to Covid).  Something great about this project is that it can live on – those books can be borrowed by many families over the years.  It has been fun seeing people come and borrow books, and one woman read one aloud in this awesome video!  The book she reads here was written by Meena Kamala Harris’ niece, and it is really good:  Ambitious Girl, Read Aloud - YouTube  

Kindness money spent:  $230.14

Crystals of Kindness – this was such an easy project and touched quite a few families in our neighborhood.  A friend posted that she had done a project with her kids – growing their own crystals!  They looked cool, and she posted the “recipe”, so I tried it!  And guess what – it worked!!  With the knowledge that it was both simple and fun, I asked neighbors if they had any empty jars I could have. 

That was an easy ask, because our recycling company doesn’t pick us glass like they used to, but we are all tree-huggers so never throw the jars away!  I also collected pipe cleaners from neighbors.  I had the other things I needed at home, the only thing I had to purchase was Borax.  So far 25 of these kits have been used by families to grow their own crystals, and 8 more are ready for pick up!  

Crystals after only one day!

Instructions for how to do this project yourself: 

Supplies needed:  glass jar that holds over 2 cups of water, one pipe cleaner, a stick of some sort, string, 6 tablespoons of Borax, water

Instructions:

Bend your pipe cleaner into a heart shape

Dissolve the white powder (which is 6 tablespoons of Borax) into two cups of boiling water

Pour that solution into the glass jar

Tie your heart onto the string, and the string onto the stick

Suspend the heart into the jar so that it is covered by water

Observe over the next day(s) as crystals form

Kindness money spent: $14.48

Warm Kindness – for the past 6 years I have hosted “Project Warmth” at our front gate.  The first couple of years, I hung out sweaters, coats, hats, mittens, etc. from our closets that we no longer used.  Then I realized that so many people have extras and would love to share, so I asked for donations of cold weather gear.  Oh my goodness!  So many people have donated this year, and so many pieces of winter wear have found new homes through this project!!  I check the display several times a day, and when it is empty I replace things.  One time a nice warm coat found a new home before I could even make a pot of coffee!!!  

We have given away coats, sweaters, scarves, gloves, hats, boots, mittens, neck warmers, thick socks, snow pants, jeans…  Some people see the display when they walk by, and others have pulled over in their vehicles to pick up a warm item.  Can you imagine being out in the winter weather without a heavy coat or hat?  And people have donated such NICE things!  Brand new kids’ snow pants.  Hand knit hats.  Beautiful scarves.  Barely used heavy boots.  One woman even mailed boots and coats to me from South Dakota!  Isn’t that amazing? 

I put a little note with a $20 bill in one of the coat pockets.  I hope that the person who got it could use the money to get themselves a special little treat, maybe some hot cocoa and lunch!

Kindness money spent:  $35.98 (the $20 gift and a new hook to hang items on)

Dollar Tree Kindness – One of the simplest ways to spread kindness is to pick up the tab of the person in front or behind you in a check-out line.  And that’s just what we did in the Dollar Tree.  Once we checked out, I told the lady behind us that her order was covered with Kindness money.  Even though she was wearing a mask, her smile shone through in her eyes. 

Kindness money spent:  $11.77

You Deserve a Treat Kindness – We all have days where we wish we could just go back to bed, bury our heads under the covers, and wait for a do-over the next day.  But if you have a job, chores, or kids to take care of, sometimes escaping reality just is not possible. 

And that’s where TREATS come in!  Kids get treats, so why shouldn’t adults??? 

When a neighbor expressed that she was having a super hard day, we surprised her with a bottle of wine and a slice of cake meant JUST FOR HER (no need to share, like Moms almost always have to do!!).  Little gestures like that can be huge boosts for exhausted people. 

Kindness money spent:  $21.07

And finally for this recap, Meats of Kindness – So many people have been affected by Covid-19.  Of course, many people have fallen ill and/or lost family members to the illness.  And people have also lost their jobs, meaning losing housing and having a hard time putting food on the table for their families.  One family in our community was having a hard time affording groceries, so I asked them for a $25 shopping list.  I mean, obviously they would appreciate whatever food was given, but it felt important to get what they NEEDED and WANTED.  All they asked for was MEAT.  They explained that when you are getting food from food banks, meat is very, very hard to come by.  So, they said would be super grateful for any meat we could get.  Luckily for them, we are discount shoppers!  

We got 4 different kinds of meat, then added some chips for the teenagers in the family 😊.  They were very grateful (and I bet they got a nice few meals out of it!).

 Kindness money spent:  $33.76

Thank you again to all who donated items for the sale, shopped at the sale, donated funds, gave winter gear, and provided support.  These acts of kindness may not be big enough to change

Thank you so much to everyone who has been supportive of this mission.  Thank you to those who donated items for the Kindness Yard Sale, who shopped at the sale, who donated funds, who dropped off winter gear, and who provided encouragement.  These small act of kindness are not big enough to change the world, but they are big enough to make a small dent…  And if these acts inspire YOU to go out and be kind, well, then the kindness will ripple further and further and further…

 

 

Kindness Yard Sale Update - Sleds, Food, and Hope

Here is an update on expenditures from the Kindness Yard Sale!  Check out some of the ways money raised at the sale has been used to spread kindness!

- You may have seen Little Free Libraries.  They are small “libraries” outside of homes.  The concept is that people can take a book or leave a book.  They are popular in my area and so, so fun.  Well, I saw a twist on the concept!  A woman in Omaha posted, “Sleds for Little Free Sled Library - ISO extra sleds. I know people have complained about a shortage of sleds this year, so I’m putting this on our sledding hill in Black Elk Park (above the north baseball field). If you’ve got extra sleds, I’d love to add them.”

A LITTLE FREE SLED LIBRARY!!  I contacted the woman, got her address, and used Kindness money to send her 3 shiny new sleds.  She was thrilled!  When she got them she said, “Thanking post.  Susan, you are amazing! These sleds are nicer than anything I would have bought, even for my own kids. I’ll put them out after tomorrow’s snowstorm.”

These are the sleds purchased with Kindness Yard Sale money!

Omaha has gotten a LOT of snow this year so I bet those sleds will be well used by the time Spring rolls around.

Money spent: $123.02

- The night before Thanksgiving we found ourselves in the grocery store.  As we went to pay, I noticed a couple checking out with one item:  half a pumpkin pie.  After they checked out, they stopped to peruse the beautiful live Christmas trees in pots.  They were quite tall and lush – very, very pretty.  I watched as they examined all of them, then came back to the one they obviously loved.  They talked quietly to one another, then turned to leave.  I rushed over to them, “Are you going to buy a Christmas tree?” I asked?  The woman smiled shyly and explained that they were not.  As they turned to go, carrying only half a pie, I decided that they needed the tree.  “Wait!  I have a Christmas gift for you!”.  We rang their tree out with our purchase as they looked at us with wide eyes and huge smiles.  They thanked us repeatedly as they took their new tree with them.  It was such a nice way to get into the Christmas spirit.  From the looks of things, I imagined them spending Thanksgiving with just the two of them.  I hope the Christmas tree brought them some special holiday joy.

Money used:  $25

- A woman in a local group asked if anyone had a special stroller buggy board that could hook to the back of her baby stroller.  It would allow her to have her older child stand on the back while she pushed the newborn baby.  No one replied that they had one to give her, so I ordered her one off Amazon.  She was thrilled!!  When I dropped it off her husband was outside hanging Christmas lights, and he “God Blessed” me several times.  This was money well spent.

Money used:  $105.99

- A neighbor was trying to make a Fairy Garden for two small girls who lived nearby.  She asked if anyone had any Fairy Garden supplies.  Well, that seemed like a request that needed to be filled!!  I bought supplies and several neighbors made and painted beautiful little treasures for the garden.  One woman even used a 3D printer to make a fairy house!!  We ended up supplying that garden with a lot – a Grandfather clock, 2 houses, a tiny mirror, a bed…  Those fairies had to be very pleased!!

Perhaps this is one of the fairies who visited...

Money used:  $35.58
(Value of fairies: priceless)

- Another neighbor was collecting items for a homeless shelter in Washington DC.  One thing she asked for specifically was new socks.  Homeless people often have issues with their feet because they may not change socks daily, and their feet sometimes get and stay wet inside their shoes, so clean, new socks are a premium.  I ordered 30 pairs of socks for her to hand out.  She was very thankful.  And really, doesn’t everyone deserve fresh, clean socks?

Money used:  $90.05

- Having lost 2 family members recently, I am involved in some grief support groups online.  I saw this post in one group: 

“My brother died at 47, unexpectantly, last September 12. The very next morning, I went to the school and informed all of my niece's instructors. I specifically made sure she had enough lunch money so she didn't have anxiety over not having lunch money at their cafeteria.

Last Friday, my husband had a stroke. He is still in the hospital and making progress. I now have custody of my niece and had to work the election yesterday. My daughter came home with lunch money due - I forgot to send her money. I realized that there is no one left to help, like I did. I am feeling so alone right now. There isn't anyone to run help here, or can you get this, or anything. I hate this so much. I have to pull myself together. I own my own business and time off is money, but I am emotionally so exhausted and the feelings of grief are just overwhelming.”

My heart ached for this woman.  It was not money she needed, but SUPPORT.  I contacted her and asked if I could send funds to replenish the school lunch accounts.  She was amazed that a stranger across the country would offer support.  I hope that she is feeling better these days.  Grief is a long, long journey.

Money used:  $200

- This expense was a fun one, because it turned out to be kindness begetting kindness!  As we were checking out at the grocery store one evening, I saw two young adults checking out.  They seemed to be being very deliberate with the purchases.  I approached them and asked if they minded if I paid for their groceries with Kindness money.  They stammered, smiled, and said sure!  Then they explained that THEY were being kind by shopping for their GRANDPARENTS!!  Isn’t that the quickest kindness boomerang you have ever heard of??  I loved it!

Money used:  $32.68

- I have never been an online shopper, but Covid has changed that.  And one thing I learned is – you can shop anonymously for other people’s wish lists!!!!  Talk about FUN!  One evening I was feeling down and knew that a dash of kindness would cheer me up, so I hunted for an Amazon wish to grant.  I searched for someone with my last name who had a special occasion coming up.  I found one!  Lauren appeared to be graduating from nursing school!  Here is the note I wrote with the gift, a keychain she had chosen:  “Lauren, I don't know you, but found your gift list on Amazon. I run the program "Kindness Activist" - sharing kindness with the world. I saw you're graduating this year! GO YOU!! You Believed You Could - and you DID!”

Money spent - $15.18

- Spousal abuse has skyrocketed during Covid.  Being pent up in the same space, often 24/7, has been disastrous on many relationships.  So, when I saw someone trying to find furniture to set up an apartment for a woman who had gotten out of an abusive relationship, I knew Kindness money was needed.  The woman had broken free and was setting up her new apartment with her one year old child. 

I can’t imagine how hard that situation must be.  It was almost Christmas.  It was cold.  And she was alone with her little one.  People pitched in toys, clothing and furniture.  And I used Kindness money to get a small Christmas tree, poinsettia, and grocery gift card.  Did she NEED a plant (poinsettia) in her nearly bare home?  Probably not.  But I like to think that a bit of LIFE – the green and red of the plant – brought her joy.  I hope that the support she got from the community rallying around her helped her get started on her new journey.

Money spent:  $57.98

Thanks again to everyone who shopped at the Kindness Yard Sale, donated, played 2020 Sucks Bingo, and joined in the cause in other ways.  There will be more fundraisers and opportunities to get involved soon.

I will try and do better at writing here.  There are stories of Kindness Yard Sale purchases from NOVEMBER that I still haven't shared!  I will catch up!  

And please, keep your eyes open in your own community for ways that YOU can spread kindness.  It doesn’t have to involve money.  Maybe you can hold the door open for someone.  Let someone in front of you in traffic.  Or make eye contact and smile at a stranger.  Kindness is contagious – spread some around, you will be glad you did.

Robes of Kindness

Since its inception, the premise of “Kindness Activist” is that being aware of kindness spreads MORE kindness.  When you are willing to talk OPENLY about kindness, willing to share about it without embarrassment, it will inspire MORE kindness.  And when you keep your eyes and ears open to it – you will see kindness all around.

And that is why I share stories of kindness.  I know that they will be a ripple, inspiring others to be kind, then others, then others, and the ripple will become a wave.

Today’s story is about a woman who is beautiful both inside and out: STACIA.  She is a neighbor and a friend.  And Stacia has a huge heart.

She has 2 sons and one of them was severely injured last year when he broke his femur.  He is an active kid, and spending a month in a spica cast was not on his list of things to do…  And yet that is where he found himself. 

Stacia put the word out in a local Facebook group that they could use a bit of help.  Her original ask was a small one – bendy straws.  Her son couldn’t sit up to drink while in the cast, and bendy straws were needed.  Well, just like with so many other requests for assistance, that little Facebook group rallied around the family.  Meals, a furniture dolly to use as a tummy scooter, lawn mowing, toys delivered, cookies for the kids, shrubs planted, meal gift cards, and of course, bendy straws were given to the family during that difficult time.

That kindness inspired Stacia, so at Christmas time, she paid it back ten-fold.  She posted this message in the Facebook group: “Moms of Buy Nothing, were you an exhausted gift deprived mom on Christmas morning? Did you get perhaps a robe that you picked out yourself and nothing else? I have a special gift for you, gift deprived mom. It’s a Surprise that I will bring to YOU.  Please comment below and I’ll choose tonight!”

If you haven’t seen the Saturday Night Live sketch about the mom getting the robe, you must.  It is hilarious and spot on.  You can see it here .

Anyway, Stacia’s message resonated with the moms of the group, and replies poured in.  People said:

·         My daughter wrapped up something I already owned then gave it to me as my gift.

 

·         To which another mom replied:  Mine wrapped up something I gave her and gave it back to me (to which the original poster above replied, “You win.”)

 

·         LOL.  This post is so spot on because I’m wearing a robe I “received” from a past Christmas that I pick out and wrapped myself right now.  It was the only thing I got that year and I remember when I opened it, I acted a little surprised.  It was still the best Christmas because the youngest had not yet gone to hospice.  I no longer spend Christmas waking up early to cook or bake or wait interminable hours while other people play video games.  I’ve got it easy now with no kids at home.  But I do feel for all of those mothers and mother figures who are sleep and gift deprived.

 

·         I would like a surprise!  I was and am alone with my daughter.  I bought a trunk full of gifts for her and wrapped it all up last minute.  I made a good dinner just for her and me. 

 

·         LOL.  I ordered myself a couple things that I handed off to my 7 year old to wrap, so I am good.  Thanks for your thoughtfulness.

 

·         I didn’t even get anything.  ☹  But I was able to get gifts for everyone all thanks to this Buy Nothing group. 

 

·         My husband bought me an external hard drive…  and then was like, “Did you open the other box?!” all excited.  I was thinking, “Oh, here comes the good gift….”.  It was a case for the external hard drive.

 

·         I want to add my name to this.  I call myself the “little gift giver”, so maybe I can finally receive a gift for myself. 

 

·         I wish the Saturday Night Live skit wasn’t so on the mark for me.

Stacia hit a bullseye – so many mothers deserved gifts and surprises!!  So, she went to work!!  She had felt the love, kindness and generosity of the group supporting her family when her son was injured, and she paid it back in spades. 

She wrapped and hand delivered items to the neglected moms.  She gave some of them nice bath bombs, dark chocolate Justin’s peanut butter cups, and scented lip balms.  Some got perfume.  One got a $50 spa gift card!  Some got earrings, bracelets, home spa items like masks and bath salts and scrubs.  One deserving mom got a box of Godiva chocolate. 

One mother told me that Stacia got her the perfect gift: “Stacia’s gift made me feel very special.  She picked out gifts that were suitable for the person, which to me meant that she really knows people personally – what their likes and hobbies are.  Since I am in the beauty field I got pampered with a calming face mask and a brush cleaning soap!  At the same time, she probably knew I needed something to take care of myself, too, and pamper myself.”

Another recipient of Stacia’s kindness told me: “Stacia gave me Burberry perfume!!  I would never have bought such an indulgence, and I was flabbergasted.  It restored my faith in the tenderness of humanity.  I literally received NO gifts.  I could afford anything I would ever want to buy, and yet it is so much sweet to have someone think of you.“ 

Yet another lucky mom told me,  "I commented on the post not expecting a gift, but to say how funny that skit was, because of how much mothers stress about shopping  for everybody but nobody is stressing about getting gifts for mom.  I felt so special because I was not expecting to be a recipient, so when she messaged me that there was a gift at my door I was really surprised!  Stacia gave me a robe, just like in the SNL sketch!  Every time I wear it I smile because it reminds me of that sketch, and of how good and funny people are."  

And guess what?  Stacia had a great time being the DELIVERY PERSON of kindness!  She said, “It was so fun for me to be an elf!  I truly believe we mammas gotta stick together and lift each other up”. 

She wanted to do something special, and the special factor was off the charts.  In the year of Covid, acts of kindness like this go even further.  We all feel so isolated these days.  Stacia went out of her way to bring joy (and gifts!) to women in the community. 

I hope that her kindness can inspire YOU to do something kind today.  Big, small, any act of kindness makes the world a better place.

 

 

The Magic of Santa

And then there was – that holiday season I was SANTA…

Like most of my “projects”, this concept started small and seemed totally do-able.

          SET UP A LITTLE TABLE AT THE FRONT GATE WITH EVERYTHING NEEDED FOR KIDS TO WRITE LETTERS TO SANTA.  Special chair.  Paper.  Envelopes.  Crayons.  Pencils.  And the all-important – MAILBOX (complete with flag to put up once your letter was inside).

 But once the letter writing station was mounted, I started on my other “brilliant” idea…

                 A LIFE-SIZED ADVENT CALENDAR, with different special treats, many of them gift                         wrapped and tied with bows, for every day of December!!

 I think you can predict where this is going…

And if your mind went straight to the work and the hours and the scotch tape and the wrapping paper and the confusion – well, you wouldn’t be alone.  And I will get to that.

But first.  First, let’s start with the MAGIC…

This holiday season will be one to remember.  I am a believer.  I am a believer in all things sparkly and magical and slightly quirky.  And this holiday season reinforced my beliefs 1 million times over.

Let’s talk about the Santa Project.  It has brought me so much JOY!! 

Since the first letter to Santa was “mailed” in our special mailbox, I have been SHOPPING (online).  Shopping for mostly toys, all requested in the letters, some of which I had never heard of and had to Google to figure out what they even were (Wild Kratts??  Plants Vs. Zombies??)  And you would think the shopping would have been my favorite part of the project.  I mean, shopping for over a hundred kids, FUN right? 

But actually, it is HARD to pick a favorite part of the Santa Project.  There have been so many amazing bits and pieces – reading the kids’ letters, wrapping and tying ribbons and bows, secret phone calls to parents to decipher phonetically spelled wish lists…

But I think if I had to choose, my very favorite part has been WRITING LETTERS BACK FROM SANTA FOR EACH CHILD. 

I wrote personalized letters in response to each person.  It was soooo fun!  It was the ultimate creative writing project, and I composed some letters I am very proud of.  I do believe that I may have switched some non-believers back into believers, made some believers even STRONGER believers, and well, for those who were obviously in on the “truth” – I made them smile big smiles.

Santa’s letters mentioned special things about each writer, things only Santa would know!  “You did a great job at being kind this year”, “I couldn’t believe how many times you said ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ in 2020!  I started to keep a list to count them but you said those nice words so often I lost track!’, “I know virtual school is tough – it is hard to pay attention.  But YOU, you my friend, are doing awesome!!”, “Your handwriting is so GOOD this year!  Have you been practicing??”, “Please give that sweet mother of yours a big hug from me, she had had a tough year,” and “My favorite part of the letter was your drawing!  You used PINK, which is one of my very favorite colors.  I showed your drawing to Mrs. Claus and we hung it on our refrigerator.”

But of course, it is 2020…  So not all wish lists were “nice”, and not all were things that Santa could wrap up and deliver in this sleigh.  A few kids asked Santa to cure Covid.  One asked for no-shot hormone blockers (they really want and need the hormone blockers but are afraid of shots.)  One asked for “A German Shepard that my family is not allergic to”.  And one asked for a baby brother.

Instead of ignoring those delicate and difficult requests, I decided to tackle them head-on.  One response to the request to cure Covid was: 

“The first think you asked was that I end Covid.  Oh my little friend, I wish I could.  I specialize in magic and Christmas and toys and joy, and the doctors specialize in medicine.  So, I cannot end Covid, BUT I did talk to some of the best doctors around and shared your wish with them.  They assured me that they are working VERY HARD (barely even taking breaks to eat!!) to find a cure for Covid.  They hate Covid as much as you and I do!!  And they told me to remind you that a vaccine is coming soon, so that is a good step in the right direction.  But, they stressed this part, WE MUST KEEP WASHING OUR HANDS A LOT AND WEARING OUR MASKS!!  Even after the vaccine we will have to do that for a while, until things start getting better.  So yes, it stinks, but we all have to pitch in and do our part, right?  (By the way, you should see how difficult it is for me to get my mask over my big white beard!  I had to have a special mask made.  Luckily Mrs. Claus is great at sewing!)”

The gut-wrenching request for no-shot hormone blockers received this response (this is just part of the letter):   

“Your request of no shot hormone blockers really made me think.  You are right – there SHOULD be no shot hormone blockers!  A pill maybe.  Or a syrup to drink!

After I sat (eating cookies) and thought about it a while, I considered going into the workshop and talking to my elves about making some for you.  But then I realized – the elves make TOYS.  Medicine like hormone blockers is not a toy!  The elves are the wrong people to give that job to.

So instead, I contacted some doctors.  I told them of your request, and I asked them to GET TO WORK on making no shot hormone blockers.  They assured me that they would do some research and try to figure out how to do it.  They sounded confident that they could figure it out but warned me that it would not be easy and would likely take a while.  They need to experiment, test it on people, and get it all approved.  (For what it is worth, I did tell them my deadline was December 25^th, but they seemed to think they would not be able to meet that.)

So, my friend, I am sorry.  I really, really wanted to grant your wish.  You deserve it. Heck, other people deserve no shot hormone blockers, too!  (Excuse me for cursing there, I just got worked up a bit about this.)”

The request for a baby brother got this response: 

“You asked for a couple of things, including a baby brother.  I am sorry to tell you that I cannot bring you a baby brother.  The elves make TOYS, not brothers!!  😊  But I have made a note in my journal that you would like one, and if I find any little brothers looking for nice big brothers I will give your mom a call.“

And what about THIS dilemma – what do you do when a child writes and admits that they were not an angel this year (this honesty was reported in 3 or 4 letters!)??? 

“Your letter made me giggle.  You reported that you have been, and I quote, “goodish”.  Now WHAT, my child, is “goodish”?  It is more leaning toward the GOOD side or the BAD side?  Is it right in the middle?   I would’ve liked a few more details from you…  So, before I decide what to put together in your Christmas box, I will need check my notes from the year.  I keep them in ABC order so that I can quickly read through them if I need to double-check on someone.  Let’s see here…  The “N” section.  Nancy, Ned, Nicholas (oh such a nice name!!), Niquita, and there you are, Noah!  What did I notice of your behavior this year…

          -          You did pretty well at getting along with your little brother

    -          You did not torture your cat

    -          You obeyed your mother (most of the time)

    -          You brushed your teeth before bed (again, most nights…)

    -          You were grumpy a few days

    -          And you sometimes put your dirty clothes in the basket

 I would say that I would give you “good” instead of “goodish” for your overall annual rating!”

Or, how about when the oldest child is the family seems to have stopped believing, but writes a letter to Santa along with their younger siblings.  Only, to point out the fact that they are onto the game, they refer to Santa as “Santa” the whole letter???  I’ll tell you what this “Santa” did – he referred to the child with her name in quotation marks in the whole letter! 

In the end, I wrote 108 individual letters from Santa.  Some people said I should use a template but I was having TOO MUCH FUN writing them!!  Things I discovered about my Santa as I wrote – he is a feminist, he believes in science, he supports equality, and he rewards kids who ask for very little with a LOT (wait until the kid who asked for a single candy bar opens the box fullllllllllllllll of big candy bars!)  I guess you could say my Santa is a lot like me, go figure…

I have gotten to watch several children open their gifts from Santa and it has been beautiful.  There have been literal, LOUD SQUEALS of delight!!!  Shouts of, “He knew!!!  He knew!!!!  He knew what I wanted!!!!”.  Many loud, “LOOK!!!  LOOK!  Look what he brought me!!!”.  It is glorious to witness (usually from hiding behind our venetian blinds to stay out of sight).  And just now I got to talk to a family with 2 kids – one who wrote a very clear letter saying exactly what she wanted (and of course Santa bought) and an older sister who wrote a nice letter but didn’t ASK for anything.  They were searching under the tree for the older sister’s gift when I came outside.  She was resigned to the fact that since she didn’t ASK, she wouldn’t get a gift.  She obviously doesn’t know this Santa very well.  The whole families’ eyes LIT UP when magically the gift for big sister was found. 

I can’t close without going into the numbers, and most importantly, the THANK YOUs.  Numbers first:

-          102 letters were “mailed” in our special mailbox

-          6 other recipients came about organically during the process and got gifts

-          108 Santa response letters were written and 108 people received gifts

-          Because some gifts contained more than one item, I estimate 200 items were purchased

-          Popular items were Lego, LOL dolls, Superheroes, dolls, and princesses

-          6 adults wrote letters (2 did not leave contact info so did not get a gift or reply – well, one will get her gift next month since she requested “a better government”)

-          Children these days are mostly named with names starting with the letters A – G.  There are loads of A and E names!

-          Old fashioned names are very popular again

-          Mad props to the parents who gave their kids the middle names “Adventure” and “Danger” and call them by their first and middle names.  I LOVE that!  I got to meet one of them in person yesterday, too!

Total spent on the Santa Project 2020:  $2408.74 (each gift averaged $22)

I planned on using funds raised at the Kindness Yard Sale to cover this project, but so many kind and generous people pitched in with donations specifically for these gifts!!  A total of $2060 was donated solely for this project!!!!  Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to the generous friends, neighbors and strangers who saw something magical and pitched in financially to make it happen! 

And THANK YOU to neighbors who answered my urgent pleas for more boxes, wrapping paper, and tissue paper.  Thank you to those who delivered cookies that kept us going. Thanks for the wine (which also kept us going!).  Thank you to the neighbor who gifted me the most beautiful Mrs. Claus outfit ever.  Thank you to the very hard working delivery drivers.  Thanks for the offers to help (which, because of Covid, I was not sure how to accept, but believe you me, if this project happens again you WILL be called upon to wrap!!).  

Special thanks to Elf David who put up with the mess around the house for a month, the late nights, helped track Amazon boxes (3 are still on the way as I type…) and wrapped gifts.

And most importantly - thank you to the believers.  The ones who helped spark my creativity and forced me to come up with many clever stories on the spot (“Ummm, how do the letters get from this mailbox to the North Pole??  Why, ummm, ELVES!  Of course yes – ELVES!  They come during the night and pick them up!!  What’s that?  Have I SEEN them do a pick-up??  Uhhh, no…  No, not yet…  They do it in the dark of night!  I try to stay awake and watch but it is difficult…”)

To my family and friends – our annual “Christmas cards” may be “mid-January cards” this year.  Your gifts have not yet been wrapped or mailed.  But I love you and I miss you. 

This is a season of magic.  It is not the Christmas any of us imagined, and yet it is Christmas indeed.