I started this little blog seven years ago this month.  For seven years I’ve posted little blurbs and thoughts and highly suspected my posts were overlooked.  I just haven’t found a passion or interest to focus on so my writing is random and broad.  But I keep toiling at it just in case something kicks in and I need to be prepared with this blog already in place.  The point is I post four times a week and barely make my daily 10 view goal.  In fact, I have had to round out the views on occasion to make 10.  Not proud of it but it is a fact of life.  So when I do post something that gets a little attention I’m surprised.  That is what happened during the 2018 Christmas season.

It started with this.

 

Christmas has lost some of the wonder that it used to have for me.  It’s just a busy, noisy, cold, and dark month to get through.  Basically it is one of those months that stand in the way between me and summer.  Glorious, wonderful summer.

So yeah, this was a bit humbug.  But what’s the harm?  No one will notice.

A couple days later I received an anonymous package.  A beautiful homemade bag filled with gifts.  There was no name attached.  Based on the contents I guessed my new ministering sisters because the homemade candy was the same kind my ministering sister made.  It was either them or a friend that had commented on my humbug post.  At any rate, it was nice and thoughtful.

A couple days later I received another package filled with even more good stuff.

Hmm, okay, two gifts.

The following week another package.

Definitely not my ministering sisters.

A couple of days later another package.

This was the pattern in December.

Always anonymous.  A couple of packages arrived at my home.  One after my co-worker discovered I was out of town and when I’d be back.  When I returned there was a package waiting at my door.  My other co-workers did not sound convincing when they said they didn’t know who it was leaving the packages and offered ideas of suspects.

False ideas.  Misdirection attempts all of them.  The one even had me chase some guy into the parking lot saying he had delivered the package.  I didn’t pursue too far because I felt like it was a wild goose chase (which it was).

Eleven packages led up to Christmas Eve.  By this time I knew two things.  One, it had to be multiple people because the packages were always filled with really nice things.  And two, I was involved in some kind of twelve days of Christmas gift package thing.  I didn’t know who exactly was involved though due to some activity on my Facebook page and likes on my mystery elf posts I had my suspicions.  The other thing I couldn’t figure out was why me.  I mean, sure I posted a bah-humbug post but a lot of people feel that way about Christmas.  Why me?  I have spent the last couple of years trying to hide and be forgotten.  I’m the person that slipped away from the dinner table and was long gone before anyone noticed.  I’m the one that has to round out my views to get 10.  Why was I being noticed now?  To be honest, I felt a little embarrassed.

I figured my niece Jo-T was giving some intel to the mystery elf because the gifts were specific.  So when I saw her I peppered her with questions.  It was obvious she knew but she refused to answer. Same with my sister in law.  She just turned her back to me so that I couldn’t see her face when I interrogated.

Christmas Eve I received my final package and it was a doozy.  It just made me ask my question even more, why me?

The final gift came with a promise that all would be revealed in January.  By that time, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know.  The fact that someone thought  I could use some Christmas cheer and for whatever reason helped me find it was enough.  At least, that’s the noble statement I made.  I really wanted to ask my one question, why me?

Finally, toward the end of January I received another note saying the time had come for all to be revealed the following day at lunch.  A time and place was set I just had to show up.

So I showed up not knowing what to expect.

What I discovered was I was right.  Sorta.

That friend I suspected all along was the instigator. She saw my humbug post and put a call out to several friends including one of my co-workers (the same one who sent me on the wild goose chase).  They worked together to come up with a 12-days of Christmas plan.

During the middle of December I made a list of four suspects and sealed it in an envelope.  When I went to lunch I took the list.  All four were involved plus seven more.  Out of the people involved there were a couple of surprises but not all.

I asked my question, why me?  I asked it several times because I couldn’t quite believe the answer.  Turns out the reason is a rather simple one.  They all like me.  Coupled with the fact that they are all just good people.  They are disciples of Christ helping those in the dark find some light.  That’s it.  There was really no other reason.

While it did teach me to be more careful about my posts it also gave me one of the most memorable Christmases I have ever had.  Everyone I spoke to that was all involved in it said the same thing, they loved being part of it.  It helped them find their Christmas spirit as well.

I guess when all is said and done, that really is the beautiful thing when Christmas is done right.  The love is in both the receiving and in the giving.