I have often written how Christmas has always been my favorite time of the year. My best childhood memories are attached to the holiday. Family all together. My parents' endless open house parties where my siblings and I hung on the periphery or hovered around the cookie table. The train platform where Plasticville was ever expanding. And of course, the excitement of leaving cookies out for Santa and waking up to a plethora of gifts around that train platform.
Solidly middle of the middle class, we did not get whatever we wanted whenever we wanted it during the year, but at Christmas? My parents pulled out all the stops. It made the day even more magical.
It's always been part of the reason for the Yes, Virginia effort. I hate the thought of children having to give up that magic due to circumstances completely beyond their control. And I cannot stand how many parents feel like failures for having to choose to keep the heat on over even a single gift for their child.
This year has been so much like the ones that have come before. Hunger. Fear. Hopelessness. The emails that are so tentative, so unbelieving that we exist in this way - that people in general exist in this way - GENEROUS.
I know I use the word 'humbled' a lot, but it is my overwhelming emotion. Your response and generosity never fails to take me out at the knees, in the best possible way.
The past year has had me feeling very untethered. It dawned on me last week that due to family circumstances - both happy and sad - that so far I have spent over 1/3 of this year away from "home." In truth, I am currently writing this from the inside of yet another hotel room. And by the time the clock strikes 2023, I will have been floating from place to place for over 5 months.
5 months out of 12 not spent at home. The majority of that time spent alone. That's a lot of time to reflect. A lot of time to feel, as I said, untethered.
Which brings me back to DGMS and Yes, Virginia. Despite being on the road, not in my own bed, not with my husband, YOU and this effort of ours are my home. I am tethered by this sleigh. It is always a gift this time each year to be trusted with elfing on your behalf, but this year means more to me than I can put into words. I can take this effort with me; I can elf from anywhere. A hotel room, my son's apartment, the rocking chair while my granddaughter sleeps in my arms, the side of the highway.
And I have. In addition to your extraordinary generosity that helped pay the rent for the daughter of one of our members, your latest purchases have included books for ages from 7 months to 10 years old, more coats, shoes, board games, STEM robotic toys, and more gift cards for food. I will say it again: I HATE THAT PART. But it exists, and I am grateful we can provide. As we did again yesterday. And from that grateful mother to you all:
Thank you again!! I’m so excited and you have no idea how much this means to us. It’s a relief knowing I can run to the store and get what we need for a beautiful dinner. I will wait and watch for sales etc. the cost of food is excruciatingly high these days. I get paid Tuesday and had to scrape together change for milk the other day. We are still doing okay. We do eat. We do have a home. But extras are just a little fewer and far between. You and the DGMS family have given beyond measure and I love you all so much.
Perspective. Another gift. I may not be with my people, in my home (which is again gearing up to change states), but I am not scraping pennies together for milk. I am safe, I am warm, and this "home" we have created together goes with me wherever I find myself.
I am tethered to our sleigh, and am so very, very grateful to you all.
We still have time to help other families, so please send them my way, And PLEASE, if it is you, your family, email me. Message me. Your privacy is promised. All that you will find in my inbox is understanding and a group of people who want you to know they care.
Donations can still be made through:
Paypal > [email protected] > please do it as Send Money, not as a purchase. If you do it as a "purchase" they withhold a portion of your donation.
Zelle > [email protected]
Venmo - @Linda-Sharp-29
Recent Comments