By Staff
I'm too old for toys and I don't have the time for video games, so I'm not really sure what I'll be getting for Christmas this year. But, then again, it doesn't matter if I get a thing.
An 8-year-old boy is my reason for not caring if there is a gift under the tree for me on Christmas morning.
I can remember a time about 10 years ago, when I had given up on the idea of becoming a mother. My husband and I had been married for 15 years and the gift of a child just had not been in the cards.
Things changed and what we considered a miracle occurred. I'm not sure why things happened the way they did, but I was more than excited about becoming a mother, finally. Even though I was 38 years old when my child was born, I couldn't have been happier.
The Christmas mornings we have enjoyed for eight years now have been wonderful. The joy and excitement of finding gifts left for my son by Santa have been priceless.
My joy this year has been even more than I could have expected. This wonderful child has so much love in his heart and it has been exhibited in his desire to put gifts under the tree for everyone in our family.
I'm not sure exactly what are in all of those secretly wrapped packages he has lovingly placed under our Christmas tree. The only thing I do know for sure is that he has not purchased any of the items. The things he has wrapped have been dug from the bottom of his over-flowing toy box; from the hidden treasure under his bed and even from the stash of little goodies he keeps in his special place.
Several times during the weeks leading up to this wonderful holiday, Landon has come to me while I worked in the kitchen and asked for supplies. As I watched the twinkle in his eyes, I handed over wrapping paper, tape, scissors and name tags only to watch him run back to his room and produce packages covered in as much tape as wrapping paper. He would hand back the supplies and make a bee-line to the Christmas tree.
Just this past week I asked him if he would like to go shopping for gifts. He assured me that wouldn't be necessary since he already had something under the tree for his dad, his granny, his maw-maw and me. I have offered my shopping assistance and my money to allow him the opportunity to buy a gift someone might like. Nope. He's done. I wish my preparation for the holiday could have been so easy.
As we wind down the last couple of days before Christmas, I am filled with anticipation of his reaction to the pile of gifts he'll open on Christmas morning.
He's been patient. He's only asked to open “just one gift” twice in the four weeks since they have been appearing under the tree. His patience is wearing thin and so is mine.
As most parents probably do, I have overspent this holiday. I have sworn at least three times that I was through buying presents for my son. Each time, I have spotted some wonderful thing I think he just can't live without. Chances are, he'll find just as much joy in the used cardboard boxes after the gifts are scattered across the living room floor. He has certainly found many wonderful and creative uses for the empty tubes the wrapping paper once filled.
He hasn't asked for much this year. Just a few things. A couple of things were kind of pricey while others were just a few dollars in cost. It didn't matter though. He will pretty much get everything on his wish list and all of those other gifts I couldn't resist added to the pile of packages.
No, I don't care if there is anything under the tree for me at all. My joy will be in watching the light of my life smile and laugh with delight as he receives those wonderful surprises.
I have a small feeling of how Mary must have felt when she gave birth to her Son. Yes, Lisa, miracles still happen.
Lisa Tindell is the news editor for The Brewton Standard. She may be reached by email at lisa.tindell@brewtonstandard.com.