Each year Mama opened a "Christmas Club" account at the bank. Throughout the year she would deposit a few dollars each pay period. At the end of the year she would receive a check from the bank for the amount that she had saved. She would use this money to buy Christmas gifts, food, and maybe a strand of lights for Daddy to hang up on the porch. Debra decided to do it just a bit differently. She would find bargains throughout the year. Perhaps it was a cup that said, "World's greatest Dad", or a tee shirt that said, "I love you, Mom". Throughout the year she placed these items in her "Christmas Box". It would be an investment of $2.00 here or $3.00 there. When they opened up the "Dollar Tree" and sold everything for $1.00, Debra filled our "Christmas Box" up! At the end of the year, we would wrap our treasures and present them to our family. Our first Christmas together was 1981. She bought an ornament with that year's date and placed it in her "Christmas Box". We were thrilled to hang it on our tree!
As the years went by we were able to budget a little more for Christmas. Instead of getting Daddy a pack of Beechnut chewing tobacco, we were able to get him a whole carton! One Christmas we got him a brand new pair of Liberty overalls! He was so happy to get them, but I think he was just as happy when he opened the pack of Beechnut a few years earlier! Debra still has her "Christmas Box". She had to get a separate one to store the annual ornaments. Last year was our 33rd Christmas together. She could decorate the entire tree with just the annual ornaments!
The Christmas Budget and the "Christmas Box" has gone through changes, but it still remains one of the things that Debra enjoys the most. She learned very early on the lesson from Acts 20:35 " ... remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."
As the years went by we were able to budget a little more for Christmas. Instead of getting Daddy a pack of Beechnut chewing tobacco, we were able to get him a whole carton! One Christmas we got him a brand new pair of Liberty overalls! He was so happy to get them, but I think he was just as happy when he opened the pack of Beechnut a few years earlier! Debra still has her "Christmas Box". She had to get a separate one to store the annual ornaments. Last year was our 33rd Christmas together. She could decorate the entire tree with just the annual ornaments!
The Christmas Budget and the "Christmas Box" has gone through changes, but it still remains one of the things that Debra enjoys the most. She learned very early on the lesson from Acts 20:35 " ... remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."