One day, right after Thanksgiving, I had a phone call from a mother of students at High Plains Elementary School, an affluent school in the same district where I worked as a social worker. She wanted her children to learn “the spirit of Christmas.” I don’t remember this mother’s name. I call her Angel.
Angel explained that her children, and her children’s friends, wanted to buy presents for kids who might not get many presents that year. Did I know any children who might like an extra Christmas present?
“Yes,” I answered. “I know a lot of children who would be delighted to receive an extra gift.”
“How many students?”
“Well, at least a hundred in elementary school alone.”
Forty percent of the students where I worked were eligible for free lunch. Almost all of them lived in Glendale. A lot of them were refugees from countries all over world ~ places like Russia, Bosnia, Ethiopia, China, Mexico, and Somalia. Very few of them expected Santa Claus to visit the apartments where they lived.
I told Angel we could use as many gifts as they wanted to donate and the High Plains Christmas Connection was born. Angel called other families in the neighborhood. She appealed to the PTO. She put up a Christmas tree in the school lobby. She hung stars on the tree, listing the age and gender of Glendale students needing a gift. Families were eager to adopt children they considered “less fortunate.” Their generosity was overwhelming.
Angel started dropping off gifts in my office at the beginning of December. The first year, High Plains students donated more than one hundred gifts. Barbies and basketballs. Remote control cars, skateboards, and big trucks. Teddy bears and dolls of every skin color. The Glendale Police and Fire Departments signed on and donated bicycles, helmets and locks ~ gifts my students could only dream of.
Five years later, there were more than five hundred gifts waiting for me after Thanksgiving. Every corner of my office was filled with gifts that needed to be sorted, wrapped, and delivered. By that time, the project had grown to include new hats, scarves and gloves for every family member and gift cards for teenagers. The Glendale Target store donated eight beautifully decorated Christmas trees for families who otherwise wouldn’t have one.
We set up a Christmas station in an empty classroom., We brought in tables from the cafeteria and started wrapping and labelling gifts. The City of Glendale provided miles of wrapping paper, ribbons and bows. Teachers and tutors wrapped gifts when they were available. Parents from the neighborhood came to help. And of course, my friends from Glendale, Julie and Marcie, wrapped gifts for weeks.
The weekend before Christmas, Julie, Marcie and I dropped off presents at each child’s apartment. With the help of a few, wonderful volunteers, we went from door to door, wishing families Merry Christmas. It was a weekend full of the Christmas spirit.
Angel, wherever you are, thank you for giving all of us the gift of Christmas joy.
This is certainly an “everybody wins” story. What a great opportunity you saw and acted on. She was the angel and you were her wings.
Linda what a beautiful and heartwarming story. Thanks for sharing. We can certainly still use more Angels today. Linda may God continue to bless all of you for such a great endeavor. Merry Christmas and a very blessed years.❤❤
II love this story. it gives me hope… a hope that these types of beliefs and actions are still possible. A community that uses less and share more can only help.
Beautiful!!
Wow, you and your crew were the heart, hands and feet of God!
Love this story and the power of human kindness and connection.
Changed me forever to be a part of it. So grateful to have had those amazing experiences. Can even think about it without full fledged balling. Great, now I have to do my make up again after reading this! ha!
XOXO Merry Christmas
I know. Christmas will never be the same for me, either. Working with you and Marcie was one of the best experiences of my life.
Lynda thank you for sharing this true meaning of Christmas story.Thankful for all the angels in the world.
What a wonderful story to share the true meaning of Christmas! I can’t imagine the smile on all those kids faces! I’m sure you can remember them though. You’ve done so much good work in your life that I’m proud to call you my friend.
Such a lovely memory! The “Christmas Connection” certainly blossomed impressively. I love imagining the joy of those families (who were very similar to many of my Place M.S. families).
What a great time that must have been! You made such a difference in so many peoples lives.
What an inspiring story, Lynda! Thank you for sharing something that brings home the meaning of this season. Wishing you a Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New Year!
What a beautiful story and perfect timing. Boy do we need more of this in the world. Thank you for sharing it. Your selfless, kind, altruistic take on the Needs of others has given so much to so many. You are a good model.
Just catching up. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I asked all of my gifts this year to be donated to children and their families in need. It would have been wonderful to have dropped them off personally but alas COVID. This story touched my heart and reminded me of all the good feelings we get when think about others. Thank you for sharing.