Making Christmas for a stranger...

[Running Mommy]

I hope I don't come across as boasting, because I really did not do this to seek attention. But I have to share the coolest day that I had today. All thanks to Comerica bank, and their grand opening raffle.

A couple of weeks ago I attended a grand opening for a local bank. I won an ipod shuffle in a raffle/drawing. All of us in the running family have ipods already, so I knew I wouldn't keep it. But selling it seemed greedy somehow, and I just had an overwhelming feeling like I needed to find someone who really deserved a nice Christmas.
So I have been carrying the little box around in my purse for over a week, waiting for that person to come into my life.
Today I was in fresh and easy - my fave grocery store- and an older woman and gentleman came by me. She exclaimed how good the prices were. I've been told that I can make best friends w/ people in the elevator, So it's not a surprise that I started chatting w/them. The gentleman mentioned that they go to Saint Marys food bank every other week and pick up a box of food, and how hard it is to afford food on social security. The woman was talking about making her Christmas eve Lasagne, and was just the sweetest person. I gave them some extra money saving tips for fresh and easy, and she thanked me. We kept crossing paths, as the store is not very big, and everytime we would pause to chat about an item, or some little thing.
I found myself right across from her when we were checking out. At F&E it's a self checkout, so we were chatting as we scanned our items. I asked her if she was ready for Christmas, and mentioned that we have no family in the area so it's a cinch for me. She said that she has a grown son who was in construction, but lost his job and had to move back w/her. She is trying to help him, but social security alone doesn't go far. So I asked how old he was (27) and then I asked if he had an ipod, or mp3 player. She said "no, but he did hint that he wanted one. But I looked at them at Wal Mart and I just can't afford one".
So I reached into my purse, pulled out the ipod and said "here, give this to him. I won it in a raffle, but I already have one, so I have been looking for someone to give it to." She looked absolutely SHOCKED! SHe looked at the box, and then looked around- probably thinking it was a set up or something. I then told her "it's brand new, still sealed in the case. Like I said, I won it. " She gave me a HUGE hug and thanked me. The fresh and easy employees looked stunned. I'm a regular there, so they know me.
When I walked out she was waiting for me to get my name, and thank me again.
So hopefully Joanne and her son have a Very Merry Christmas! And I hope all of you who "do Christmas" have a very merry one as well!!


(I drove home in a massive storm, and could barely keep the van on the road it was so windy, but I had a huge smile on my face, and a warm fuzzy in my heart.)

[mtbdarby]

Kudos to you RM! I know the feeling, and not to boast either, here's what my son and I just did:

As a lot of you know I lost my job earlier this year. While we don't have a lot of money right now, I do think we have plenty of material things. For various reasons, this time of the year is still very painful for me and I was looking for something to do to lift my spirits (I was feeling so blue I was bawling watching Kona on Sat!). My son is 7 and we have been using an Advent calandar that has a good deed per day on it. The other day it said to give an extra coat to someone who needed it. Well, as life would have it, it ended up being something else...

I'm a freecycler. That day a second request came from a young single mom with 3 girls asking for a few gifts to give her girls for Christmas. So I emailed her. Long story short, she has a 6 month old, 7 and 9 yo. As I asked her questions back and forth about the girls, she sent a picture of them which showed a cute little pug in the background.

I'm a former Avon rep and quasi-pack rat who keeps a gift box of new items which has kinda morphed into 3 boxes. We were able to give them gifts for all the girls, mom and Oscar the pug. My son was so excited to make 3 new "friends".

When she came to pick them up I had them all wrapped and labeled from Santa. She was so appreciative she was fighting back tears and I desperately wanted to hug her but she looked ready to run. I couldn't believe how young she looked! It wasn't too long ago I was a single mom, newly separated with no money, no job, in a new town and a 16mo old and 2 dogs to take care of. My heart went out to her.

The best thing to me about this economy is that we're finally making an effort to take care of our neighbors and community. I plan on staying in touch with this young mom and I hope she becomes a friend.

Merry Christmas everyone!

[shootingstar]

Hey that's great RunningMommy. At least a new iPod will be used, not stuffed in a corner for awhile.

I don't have quite an equivalent Christmas story (other my 'lost' book return mentioned in an earlier TE forum thread topic) but yesterday I just conducted some face-to-face interviews for a story that I will have published in Momentum cycling magazine, Mar.-Apr. 2010 issue.

The interviewees were thrilled to be subject of a potentially big audience. Ok. I can't give much on the story clues.

They were abit down that an earlier story about their program, in a national newspaper, did not name their facility.

So I will my part to make up for the omission..later.

[Zen]

Kudos to you RM! I know the feeling, and not to boast either, here's what my son and I just did:

That reminds me of this

[Tuckervill]

When she came to pick them up I had them all wrapped and labeled from Santa. She was so appreciative she was fighting back tears and I desperately wanted to hug her but she looked ready to run. I couldn't believe how young she looked! It wasn't too long ago I was a single mom, newly separated with no money, no job, in a new town and a 16mo old and 2 dogs to take care of. My heart went out to her.

:::cries::: Bless your heart, and thank you. You, too, RM.

I posted about this elsewhere on TE, I think, but when I had my "free" garage sale about 2 weeks ago, I felt a little sad that some of the people just seemed greedy. Waiting in their cars for the next dump of the wheelbarrow. But I prefer to believe that there are some kids and grandkids that wouldn't have much of an xmas without some of the pretty good (just outgrown) stuff that I put out. A gentleman did take the trundle bed and mattress and seemed very grateful. Said it was for his son.

An acquaintence of mine runs this website http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ in case you need more touching stories.

Karen

[Running Mommy]

Shoot Darb- YOU ROCK!!!!!!!! Let me know if there is a need, I can send you a box of stuff for them too.

[Trek420]

Shoot Darb- YOU ROCK!!!!!!!! Let me know if there is a need, I can send you a box of stuff for them too.

Yay! Also you could find a freecycle group near you:

www.freecycle.org

[OakLeaf]

RM, you rock. Thanks for sharing... your iPod and your story.

[Bike Chick]

RunningMommy, who said there's no such thing as Santa Claus? Bless you.

[Tri Girl]

Many blessings to you, RM and Dar!!! Great stories!

[BellaMTB]

What a wonderful story! Hope your holidays are the merriest ever.

[azfiddle]

That's a lovely story- thanks for sharing it

[katluvr]

Ditto, tears almost welled up in my eyes! So nice you both could touch someone the way you did! Merry Christmas to you both!

[badger]

yay, the Christmas spirit is still alive and well!

[AnnieBikes]

RM, wish I could have seen that lady's face.!! She will be telling THAT story for a long time! You are awesome!