"Orna-mental."

The wrapping: gone.
The tree: gone.
The decorations: gone.
The gift boxes: gone.
The cards: gone.
The leftovers: gone.
The present: remains.

The sprint from Thanksgiving to New Years is complete. We’ve exhausted the shopping, wrapping, eating, driving, flying, mailing, caroling, visiting, preparing, surprising, giving, receiving. But it was not until I went to my local COSTCO yesterday to buy my favorite socks in the world (Russell Athletic white crew socks – 12 pair for $11.99…cheap!) that the gift of this past holiday hit home. It occurred to me when I saw the serpent-winding line of people returning and exchanging gift items; it stretched out the front door and deep into the 25° Tennessee chill.

We put a lot into considering the perfect gifts to give the people on our holiday gift lists. We work with lists and budgets, strategize the “day after” shopping Thanksgiving invasion, search the wilds of the Amazon and are certain that we’ve found the gift that’s just right. Right?

Or maybe we’ve get to the point where we recycle those gifts we received over the last few years; you know, the ones where you say things like “What the heck is this used for?” or “You’ve got to be kidding” or “What were they thinking?” Then we redeem our callous response, reminding ourselves, “it’s the thought that counts.” Right?

So, when I saw the people on that line returning items to exchange, for store credit or a cash refund I remembered the following email I received from my daughter, Victoria, who lives with her husband (Rick) and newborn son (Utah) in Oregon.
"Ok, this is going to get a little long, but I think it might be worth the read if you choose to take the time. So, I got a little choked up last night looking at our Christmas tree which is bare, with the exception of Utah's first and only Christmas ornament that his great grandma June gave him. We couldn't find any of our old strands of lights and we were so exhausted and out of energy that we just left it bare…. I was flooded with the memories of all of my past family Christmases. Being young and excited. Watching my mother lay on her back under the tree to make sure EVERY branch had a strand of twinkly lights on it. Tearing into my gifts with sweet anticipation of what it may be. Tears. Sticky buns for breakfast. Laughs. Usually the Amy Grant Christmas album playing in the background. So many ornaments shining and weighing down the branches that it is easy to forget there is a tree under there. My big brother. My dogs partaking in the excitement. The ensuing nap that inevitably would follow all the excitement, that I always took on the living room floor right next to the tree (I did this until I was probably 16 or 17 years old).

As I was thinking all these things and crying (mostly from exhaustion of the past few months of my life) I realized how beautiful it was to have that naked tree there in front of me, making me visualize all these past things as opposed to being it's own decorated tree and clouding my mind with what is, instead of what was. I am so thankful for the blessings in my life. My heart is so full of love and joy. I just wanted to share that with you all and say thanks...To each and every one of you... For being a part of my life. I am a blessed girl. Thank you Lord. Thanks to those of you that have taken the time to read this and had a peek into my life. I love you ALL!"


A truth about life's blessings: I do not remember most of the gifts I’ve been given this many years later. I remember, as if it were today, the images of a family being a family and sharing the wonder of believing.

And now we are separated by time, miles and life. We are alone and with our new families with new pictures taken and pasted neatly in the scrapbook.

Different. Priceless. Treasured.

I am so thankful for the gift of family, for the rich joys received each day when I get to unwrap an old or new “present.” I’d never exchange or return a single one.

You, too, have a precious chance right now to unwrap and open the present. It’s a package deal; you only have to be willing to buy it.

"Notice that the more you become a connoisseur
Of gratitude, the less you are the victim
Of resentment, depression, and despair.
Gratitude will act as an elixir that will
Gradually dissolve the hard shell of your ego-
Your need to possess and control – and transform you into a generous being.
The sense of gratitude produces true spiritual
alchemy, makes us magnanimous – large souled."
Sam Keen

Happy New Thanksgiving Year.

For emphasis.
(b)