Re: Christmas giving programs

Sounds like you did a good job raising those kids.

-------------- Original message -------------- 

> Yeh...I tried like crazy to make Christmas special for my three kids 
> when they were young...and I was dirt poor. I made most of their gifts 
> and had put their Christmas gifts on layaway at Wal-Mart for 3 months 
> before so I could pay it off...and it was coats, shoes, etc. I always 
> felt sad and more like a failure that I couldn't provide more for them. 
> Then last year...when I talked to my kids about adopting a family and we 
> talked about what it was like when they were little...they looked at me, 
> stunned and said, "We had no idea we were poor...those were wonderful 
> times and Christmas was the best!" I cried. It made me feel good that 
> what I tried so hard to accomplish....worked. I just wanted them to feel 
> loved and special. And to appreciate what they have. 
> 
> 
> kmrsy@comcast.net wrote:Melody, 
> Thanks for the first-hand report of what the season can mean to those 
> who live without a securely funded homelife. We didn't have a lot 
> growing up (though more than you), but didn't really notice, because we 
> had what counts and my family did make sure we had some of the sparkle 
> to go with the basics. 
> 
> I hope that every less fortunate child this year will have an angel to provide 
> them with warm socks AND something fun. 
> 
> Kitty 
> 
> 
> -------------- Original message -------------- 
> 
> > Just a thought...as a child whose family often had to rely on the 
> > kindness (or not) of others for Christmas, I learned at a very young age 
> > not to expect too much...Santa was a fantasy long before I'd hit my 
> > sixth birthday...the disappointment every year was just too much. 
> > Anything we got beyond the requisite socks and underwear was a bonus. 
> > Especially around this time of year, I feel truly saddened by the fact 
> > that in this country where so much wealth abounds that it is almost 
> > shameful, there are tens of thousands more children who will learn the 
> > same lessons of going through life expecting that very little of the 
> > prettier things in life will ever come their way. The disillusionment of 
> > poverty can be crippling...emotionally and spiritually deadening any 
> > belief in joy and removing forever any possible belief in magic. To this 
> > day, I can only celebrate Christmas with half a heart and if it weren't 
> > for the miracles of my children's smiles on that day when they wake up 
> > and for a few hours the world and all the pretty things is theirs for 
> > the taking, I doubt I'd even manage that. I try very hard to ground my 
> > children in the more spiritual aspects of this season all year 
> > long...they truly appreciate the gift of Jesus as their personal 
> > Savior...and on more than this one day, so I find it easier to indulge 
> > them on Christmas. And I know that as long as I am alive, my kids will 
> > never, ever wake up to just socks and underwear for Christmas. 
> > 
> > 
> > Sorry...off the soapbox now. Except to say perhaps that before one turns 
> > to making generalizations about poor kids stealing things, one ought to 
> > look at the incidence of shoplifting and kleptomania among more affluent 
> > members of our society...it far exceeds that done by poorer children. 
> > 
> > 
> > Melody 
> > 
> > "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious." 
> > --Albert Einstein 
> > 
> > --- On Wed 11/24, Kitty < kmrsy@comcast.net > wrote: 
> > From: Kitty [mailto: kmrsy@comcast.net] 
> > To: gardenchat@hort.net 
> > Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 13:07:22 -0500 
> > Subject: Re: [CHAT] Christmas giving programs 
> > 
> > I agree the basics are important, but the "wants" for material 
> > things 
> shouldn't be overlooked at Christmas. It doesn't have to be 
> > bling, but with 
> the serviceable tube socks, couldn't you include one 
> > pair with pink lace 
> around the edge? It's Cmas and everyone needs a 
> > little sparkle. 
> It is sad that the assumption is that anything a poor 
> > child wants but 
> doesn't get will be stolen. I know some of that will 
> > happen, but I don't 
> think it is true across the 
> > board. 
> 
> Kitty 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "F M 
> > Ferrari" 
> To: 
> Sent: 
> > Wednesday, November 24, 2004 11:15 AM 
> Subject: Re: [CHAT] Christmas 
> > giving programs 
> 
> 
> > You know, I really don't think that Jim's 
> > remark is that off. If these 
> > kids are so poor, then they need some 
> > basics. Here at work, we always 
> > adopt families and kids. Often 
> > request a list of "wants" for Christmas. 
> > Let me tell you these 
> > "poor" kids want more material things than most 
> > kids I know. Lot's 
> > of requests for name brand stuff that is tied into 
> > gang 
> > affiliation, lot's of "bling bling", etc. 
> > 
> > 
> > Yeah, like 
> > anything related to gangs is going to be bought by 
> > corrections 
> > employees! I hate how ungrateful so many of our adoptees 
> > are. I'll 
> > only contribute stuff like socks and underwear, let them steal 
> > the 
> > other stuff they want - I need a job until I retire. Fran (I'm a 
> > 
> > biostatistician for OK corrections medical services) 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Jesse Bell wrote: 
> > *snicker*...why does that 
> > NOT surprise me Jim. You crack me up. While 
> you're at it...throw a 
> > lump of cole in there too. LOL 
> > 
> > Jesse 
> > 
> > james singer 
> > wrote: 
> > I don't know about the area where you live, but here there 
> > are several 
> > organizations that want you to pick a child's name out 
> > of some sort of 
> > replica of a hat and then go buy that child 
> > something for christmas. I 
> > think this is a great idea. I intend to 
> > buy several of these children 
> > the sam 
> > 
> > e sort of presents I got when I was their age. Socks and 
> > 
> > underwear. 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Island Jim 
> > Southwest Florida 
> > 
> > 27.0 N, 82.4 W 
> > Zone 10a 
> > Minimum 30 F [-1 C] 
> > 
> > 
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