When the magic of the calendar has worn off we are than able to focus on something else: the gifts. We start to have opinions on presents. Expectations on what they should be. That is where this story picks up.
The Unforgettable Christmas Present
A young man took care of Mrs. Long’s lawn during one summer. She was an elderly woman who could only afford to pay very little for the deed as she was not well off. During that summer she did promise the young man that she would have a Christmas present for him come winter. That promise was repeated on the last day that summer that the lawn was mowed. There was quite a long time between the summer and Christmas. I’m sure it must have felt like an eternity to the young boy. He ran through what he thought it could be. Could it be a bike? No, she couldn’t carry that. After all she was frail and a little older. Could it be a baseball glove? That’s possible, and he needed one. Oh, I know, skates! How fantastic would it be to have new skates to keep up with the other boys? Time passed and it finally got to be December. He couldn’t go get it on December 1st, right? That would probably look bad, and also, I mean, she might not have it wrapped yet. His family agreed that he should wait. Cut to December 22nd. Finally he decided it was safe to go. The gift was definitely not a bike. It wasn’t big enough for a baseball glove and certainly not skates. He picked up the box and it was light. Really, really light. He asked what it could be and Mrs. Long let him know that he had to wait until Christmas to find out. However there was a little bit of magic tucked into that box. Christmas came and he opened the box. In the box were 10 flimsy pieces of black paper with the words Carbon Paper Regal Premium. If you don’t know, these papers were used to stick between the sheets of papers to make a carbon copy of what was being written. Mrs. Long couldn’t afford to spend money, so she gifted magic. It was the most magical gift the boy ever received. If you are wondering how to recapture magic for your little ones please continue reading for some ideas.
Scavenger Hunts
Who can resist the fun of having to find the presents based on clues and hunting. Send them all around the house, inside and outside.
String Attached to a Gift
Follow me on this. Attach the piece of string and then wrap it around chairs, upstairs, downstairs, and lead them all around the house until finally they follow the string to the gift.
Surprise Party
Invite friends and yell surprise at your unsuspecting kid. They love surprise parties. Heck, they love just the word “Surprise!”
Balloons
Fill their room with balloons while they sleep. Can you imagine waking up to balloons everywhere!?! That would still be awesome at my age. I hope that these ideas can help you make someone’s day extra special. I know as adults we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to make every birthday the best party ever for our kids. Try to remember the joy of doing things and the amazing feeling of knowing someone spent time to do something for you and with you. That is the true magic. Please follow this link and read the Christmas gift story in more touching detail. You will not regret it.
