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Friday, December 10, 2010

A little Christmas Cheer

Like many of us, I have ornaments, while they may not appear special to anyone else, to me they are filled with memories of Christmas past and oodles of love. These, I believe, are the best and certainly my favourite for the spirit of Christmas is captured within them for as long as their memory continues.
This little mailbox was given to me, a few weeks before Christmas over thirty years ago; I remember it as if it was just this week. 

My grandparents popped in after dinner, bringing my brother and I each a little mailbox to hang on the tree.
Inside was a two dollar bill, likely spent before that Christmas was over, and also a little note. I still have that note, handwritten by my beloved Grandmother, a note of love that I treasure beyond words. 

Each Christmas, I open it up to read my mail, tuck the letter gingerly back inside and hang it on the tree. It usually invokes a few tears but it also brings sentiments of love that will keep the spirit of Christmas, loads of love and the memory of my adored grandparents with me throughout the year.

I would love to drop a little something into a mailbox belonging to one of you.

CSN stores has offered to let me host a giveaway for a Rural Reveler. 
Perhaps you still have some last minute shopping to finish?

CSN stores has everything to offer, they have over 200 online stores where you can find everything from tv tables to fantastic fitness equipment to cookware,  and if your shopping is finished perhaps a decoration for your home or maybe a gift to place under a gift tree for a child who would otherwise go without, or a gift basket for a needy family or something for that person you see waiting at the bus stop each day as you drive by. Christmas is for everyone; spread the love.

Leave a comment to tell me how you're spreading the love this year and if you're a Rural Reveler you will automatically be entered twice. 

I will draw the winner on Monday evening and the winner will receive a $35 voucher for use at any CSN online store, shipping to Canada and the US only.



 ~Enjoy the Spirit of Christmas Friends~
 

20 comments:

Maura @ Kisiwa Creek Photography said...

Hello Andrea!
What a wonderful post. I love your little mailbox but the story behind it is what makes it so special. You brought tears to my eyes as I read about the little hand written note from your Grandmother. Thank you for sharing this with us. The little hardware store in our town has cards with names of local needy children and so we take part in that by providing them with some presents for under the tree. I hope you're having fun preparing for the big day. Enjoy your Friday! PS...I still have a 2 dollar bill tucked away...mine wasn't from my Grandma though.
Maura :)

Osage Bluff Quilter said...

What a beautiful memory of your Grandmother. So sweet.
This Christmas as I hope every christmas I am greeting everyone with a smile. And then I am putting my coins in the Salvation Army kettle.
Happy Holidays.
Patti

Deb said...

That's a wonderful memory of your Gram. Among other things, I fill a shoebox for Samaritan's Purse.

Mary, Windy Meadows Farm said...

Thanks for sharing the sweet story behind your mailbox ornament...it's wonderful. As we decorated our tree it was so fun to pull out ornaments we bought on our honeymoon, then move on to the ones with the kids little newborn footprints, and the ones picked up on vacations. However; the ornaments made by the kids are the best. Happy Friday!

Chris at Red Gate Farm said...

Andrea what a wonderful memory to share with all of us. My grandmother use to give us each a $2 bill in a card for Christmas and for Easter. She passed away 13 years ago, I wish I'd kept those cards.

Here in our county we have a "Giving Tree" hosted by the Salvation Army. Every year we choose two angels, a boy and a girl, to buy gifts for. We've done this since my children were very small. As my kids grew older, it was fun to have smaller children to buy for and my kids helped pick out the gifts.

Happy holidays to you and yours,
Chris

Trixi said...

I love your mailbox and the memory that goes with it.
I hope that we are sharing the love everyday and not just this time of year but we do a few extra things for our neighbors and friends that are extra acts of kindness this time of year. We take trays of cookies to friends and neighbors and we really try to find needs in our community that we can help with.

giozi said...

OHhh is a mail box is adorable. I can understand you. I feel the same with some of mines :)
Have a nice weekend.

A huge.

~from my front porch in the mountains~ said...

How sweet is that. How do you even make something that tiny?

We buy for a family through a county agency each year. Usually clothing and Toys for Tots contributes the fun stuff!
We also buy for our local animal shelter. Pups and Kitties need things, too!!!!

Have a wonderful weekend, Andrea! xo, misha

Cheryl said...

What a great memory of your grandmother! Two dollar bill, the mailbox would need to be a little bigger now to hold our toonie!!
When I decorate our tree I fondle all the precious little things I put on it, I just hate when the season is over and have to put them all away again.

Debbie said...

That is a great memory. Putting up the wheat weaving ornaments that my grandmother made was especially poignant this year as she went home to the Lord in February.

We take part in the "You've Been Gifted" program at our church.

Elle Bee said...

I love your spirit! We purchased 4 different "things" from the Samaritan's Purse catalog this year: teaching a child to read and write, baby chicks, training a missionary doctor to save lives and sports equipment. I love being able to put a "purpose" on a donation. It's so encouraging! On a more local level, Grace and I are putting together a container full of assorted Christmas treats for the garbage man. The garbage man is huge at our house, and he needs Christmas love too! :o)

I think it's so beautiful and incredible that you still have the note in the mailbox. What a special thing. Christmas gets me so misty eyed the last couple of years, treasuring things like that.

Dawn said...

Oh Hullo!
So glad to meet you, and thank you for coming by my blog.
I love this post....isn't it wonderful to have something tangible from those we love??

I too am a "city/town" girl making a living in the country. Sure is different!;) But it's growing on me:))

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Leigh, Andrea Leigh Gil said...

I use to have a mail box too!!! Great memories. Each year my brother and I would hide treasures in them. By the next year we would forget and find a nice surprise in them. Great memories!

teekaroo said...

What a fun memory. My grandma crocheted fun little ice skates using paper clips, and white snow flakes that we always use on my Mom's tree. I've been hard at work making a book from one of my Dad's experiences. We're printing a copy for each sibling in my family.

Verde Farm said...

What a wonderful story. I have a little mailbox like that made by my grandmother too. What a touching story. I love these types of ornaments, they make Christmas so special. I am making photo gifts this year to share special memories and family happenings. Shutterfly does the photo memory books and they are wonderful. I am trying to preserve some history this year :)

Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeper said...

This is what Christmas is all about - taking a moment to pause and reflect on loved ones past and present. Love that mailbox and the story! I'm inviting all my neighbors to the house this year. We all live so close, but never get together - I'm hoping to start a tradition and get more involved with my neighbors all throughout the year.

Liz said...

This year, we're inviting a few friends over for Christmas who don't have families to spend the day with! Thanks for the giveaway!

eemoody77 at gmail dot com

Leslie @ Farm Fresh Fun said...

Even I teared up (yes, I'm just that sappy) ~ perfect post! Love your Grandma's keepsake! I bring out some gold painted wooden candlesticks that my Great Grandfather made in shop class. Our tree is nothing like those from my previous "life." Those were all coordinated n themed (usually to foxhunting and formality)... Now I'm all about family and fun. I have many vintage decorations from my family. They are priceless, but equally so are the preschool handprints! In our house we say that Santa comes to share God's love with little children. It's NOT about shopping. We celebrate God's gift of Jesus with simple, handcrafted gift exchanges and donations to a favorite charity (usually Heifer). Two days later, we celebrate Sarah's Bday! EnJoY your Christmas!
hugs,
Leslie

C. Dianne Zweig said...

Beautiful memory...

happy Holidays to you and your loved ones
Come by and say hello so we can be blogging friends

Dianne
kitsch n Stuff

Mary @ Neat and Tidy said...

What a keepsake; I love that you read her note every year. What I wouldn't give to have a note from someone special like that.

I'm spreading the love by having two of my daughters and their families for Christmas Day. We always enjoy spending time together. My Canadian daughter is due to deliver a baby any day now, so she and my son in law will not be joining us.

I hope you have a really good Christmas. Thanks for this story about the mailbox.