The Simple Life: A Magical Christmas
This season, I have been able to recruit 130 people who are part of a Facebook group called Magical Christmas. This group consists of people who have committed to bringing the magic of Christmas to two families that are currently facing a few struggles and challenges since COVID started wreaking havoc all over the world.
One day about a month ago, I was on Facebook and found an anonymous post on a group called Cumberland on Patrol. It was written by a grandmother who was saddened by her family's turn of events, and she was reaching out to perfect strangers who might be able to help her give her grandchildren a small Christmas. It broke my heart, as I know how much we grandparents like to spoil our children's children.
Each Christmas season, I organize efforts to help a few folks with extra blessings - sharing some of the love I have been blessed with. So when I saw this post, I immediately stepped into action and reached out and found two families on this Cumberland on Patrol post needing a little extra under their Christmas tree.
The saddest thing of all is that the needs were so great, and there were many, many families out there who needed help. Once I selected the two mamas and respective children, I had many others sending me personal messages with their stories of need. Unfortunately, our group had already committed to our two families. I had to decline our group's services, but not before I gave them a few resources to contact.
There are a lot of suffering families out there, and not enough resources to go around. COVID, unemployment, under-served communities, budget cuts, unfruitful job searches, lack of availability of full-time jobs with benefits, not enough food to eat, evictions and utility terminations, and lack of daycare to coordinate with employment hours are some of the restrictions families face.
These are some of the things that our group will be giving to our families (we have two single mamas, two girls and two little boys):
* personalized Christmas ornaments for both families
* personalized, filled stockings for both families
* 1/2 ham for both families
* two Christmas breakfast baskets - could include eggs, sausage, bacon, bread, bagels, milk, syrup, poptarts, cereal, butter, juice, pancake mix, fruit, flavored oatmeal packets, cereal bars
* slippers for two girls and two boys
* shoes/socks for two girls
* shoes/socks for two boys
* special gift for each single mama
* air pods and/or IPad or tablet for 14 year old girl
* fuzzy socks for all
* toothbrush baskets - toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss
* pretty things to wear for the little girl
* soft, cuddly blankets for all
* stuffed animals, even those great big pushy, soft ones at Walmart. Cuddlies for the littles!
* heated car blankets
* two snow packages, one for each family - shovel, ice melt, scraper, jumper cables, de-icer
* winter coat, hat gloves and boots for 14 year old girl
* hoodies for 14-year-old girl
* gift certificates - Amazon, Mom & Pop stores in the community, Walmart, Martin's, Country Club Mall, etc.
* Makeovers for mamas
* gift cards to markets, stores, restaurants, Amazon, Country Club Mall, oil changes, car detail, hair salons, barber shops, ice cream, gas stations, convenience stores, bookstores, shoe stores, movies...ideas are endless
* Nail salon gift certificates, Bath & Body Works certificates, candles for mamas...
PROMISES MADE SO FAR -
* movie baskets for both families - Yvonne Smith
* winter boots, a hoodie and a tablet - Diane Bridges Spriggs
* winter coats, hats and gloves ; PJs for all children - Sandi K Shank
* homemade cookie/sweets tray for both families - Trish Morgan/Ye Old Bake Shoppe
* 7' pre-lit Christmas tree and ornaments for the girl family - Luann Lancaster
* turkey dinners for both families for Christmas from Lisa Bruckey at Thanksgiving Blessings (delivered)
* ornaments and tree topper for the girl family - Barbara Iman Land
* turkey and trimmings for both families for Christmas - Cheryl Hahn Blackburn (delivered)
* 6' Christmas tree, lights, decorations for boy family - Allie Lyn (delivered)
* Christmas Eve baskets for both families (to be delivered this weekend) - Dani Whitlock
* Christmas family photos for both families (already underway) - Cathy Heffner
* Shopper/wrapper - Diane Bridges Spriggs
* Cash donations ($1,035 received to-date) for shopping for both families - Molly Tominack, Autumn Ray, Starla Perdew, Barbara Iman Land, Lisa Miller Umstot, Harry Neilson, Della Cook, Ruth Crout, Cindy Diaz Plummer, Sharon Shumaker, Brenda Crowe, Bill Kimble, Diana Chaney, Brenda Crowe, Tammy Barnett, Lisa Glass, Susanne Zegles and more to come!
If you'd like to help in any way, contact me at tmorgan0305@gmail.com, or find me on Facebook and send me a personal message. I would love to find a few readers who could buy the kids children's/family Bibles, bikes or trikes, and a few nice things for these loving mamas.
Til next week, God's blessings.
This article originally appeared on Mineral Daily News-Tribune: The Simple Life: A Magical Christmas
