Christmas Packages:

It was a snowy, bleak and cold Christmas that year. In the city, once in a while, a car would pass. Or a vagrant, walking alone down the street, clutching their possessions in their hands. There was a thick coat on the street of snow and a gentle layer of snow falling slowly from the sky until it settled on the ground. 

He had waited until after his children and wife had awoke. And upon hearing the eager footsteps of his children’s feet scurrying across the floor of their home, a smile grew on his face and a warm feeling in his heart. He had been up all night, packing these packages, collecting the goods he had purchased days earlier, arranging them all and placing them carefully together. And when his children came running into the room on the main floor, the one with the magically lit Christmas tree and all of their own gifts littered beneath it, they shouted with glee at the sight of their father. The children saw the packages he had been preparing but they left those alone. They sat patiently until their mother came into the room and when they heard her, they each took a present and examined it and began peeling the colorful wrapping paper from each. He was holding his wife’s hand. Christmas Day! What a joy! Their children were overcome with glee at the satisfaction of their anticipation as they collected their then opened gifts and began to play with them. He said to his family then, “We cannot forget how blessed we are. And of those who this morning, are waking up without a family and without a Christmas tree. We have to remember to thank God each day for the blessings He has provided us.” The children nodded in agreement and he kissed his wife on her cheek. She smiled and returned the kiss. His family still glowing with glee helped him fill the car with these packages. It was tradition for their family.

His car was one of the few on the road that morning. Filled with packages he had made, the car slowly crunched across the snow covered street. In the trunk of his car, in the back seat and scattered across the passenger seat, were gently tied canvas bags. He had called the city the night before asking for the location of a homeless shelter, the number of occupants. After calling the shelter, he had called a nearby Chinese restaurant that was open. And now, driving toward that location of the shelter, as he got nearer, he started to see people gathered on the street. There was an older couple huddled around a metal garbage can. Another couple seated on the curb, smoking cigarettes and talking with each other. As his car pulled onto the street, their eyes darted towards it. It was clear that they were surprised to see a car in this part of the city, that time of year. And indeed, the snow that he was driving through was fresh. 

The man pulled around to the back of the building and put the car in park. When the door opened at the back of the building, a couple of children emerged, looked around and lowered their heads in shame. They looked at the car, thought nothing of it and returned in the building. The man sat for a moment longer before opening his car door. He collected the four packages on the passenger seat in his arms and then knocked on the door of the building. The downcast faces of the same children peered up at him as the door brushed aside through the snow on the ground. The man smiled warmly across the room at the sad but welcoming gazes and announced, “Merry Christmas to everyone!” He handed a package to each of the children in front of him and watched as the inhabitants of the shelter started to look over again. The children smiled brightly and thanked him. He watched with joy as they knelt down and opened the packages. Inside the packages were toys, DVDs and clothing. There were socks, blankets, food and on the top of each package was placed very carefully a copy of a Bible. As the other inhabitants watched the children open the bags, they started to approach. He had made different packages. Ones for little girls, little boys, mothers and fathers. He asked the help of a couple of the gathered group to bring the packages in and they went with him eagerly. Finally, all of the packages inside the building, he said again, “Merry Christmas everyone!” The sentiment was echoed greatly through the building and he looked with glee over the smiling faces of all present. They all rushed to shake his hand and some wanted a picture with him. Instead he said, “Let’s offer thanks to Him who deserves it.” They invited him to stay with them and after he had settled, he asked them all if they were hungry. They each nodded and lowered their heads a bit. A couple of them said softly in unison, “We are fed here but it is not much. We are a bit hungry.” At that moment, there was a heavy knock on the front door of the shelter. “I wonder who that could be.” The sentiment was sounded as a young man went to open the door. When the door was opened, a group of caterers pushed through the door and began setting up a table in the centre of the room. On the table, they laid large platters of food. They set a place for the number of the inhabitants and they all watched as the man who had brought the packages spoke to the caterers. After they left, he approached the table, sat down and invited everyone else to sit with him. A moment later, the back door was pushed aside and entered the man’s wife and his two boys. He introduced his family and all of the inhabitants welcomed them. And taking their seats again, he prayed over the meal and invited everyone to pray with him. A few of the inhabitants, looking at each other questioned this, as they could not allow themselves to believe. But, their hearts warmed by the generosity of the man and his family, they closed their eyes one by one. After the meal, the man’s two children asked permission to be excused from the table and led the other children, the inhabitants of the shelter to show them their new toys. The family spent the entire day with their new friends and at the end of the night, they left. Before they left, every one of the inhabitants said goodbye. There was one small child, in the corner of the shelter, as they were about to leave. She appeared to be looking frantically for something. And as the family were about to step out the door, she cried out to them, “Wait!” And coming running over, she held out her hand. In her hand were four little stones, painted red. The stones were in the shape of little hearts. And when she had handed them to each of the family, she smiled a large smile and hugged the two children. “Please come back!” She said through soft tears. “Not because of the gifts or the food but because of your hearts. I found these rocks yesterday, and painted them. I didn’t know why as I don’t have anyone to share them with but now it makes sense.” - From my Book Fables of Good Will.