2011 Forum Members Christmas Exchange "I GOT IT!!" Gift Sharing Thread

[Tenpoint5]

I was just wondering if we know who came up with this idea. Was it Ten.point five.

This is being posted from my wifes new Nintendo DSI XL. Ain`t technology something grand.

Actually it was thought up by the Smoking Monkey himself. I was just dumb enough to open my mouth and say I would collect the names and do the drawing.

[Tenpoint5]

I would like to add this small story to End or wonderful Christmas exchange amongst friends. The tears are free

Three years ago, a little boy and his grandmother came to see Santa at the Mayfair Mall in
Wisconsin. The child climbed up on his lap, holding a picture of a little girl.

Who is this?" asked Santa, smiling. "Your friend? Your sister?'"

"Yes, Santa,' he replied. "My sister,  Sarah, who is very sick," he said sadly.

Santa glanced over at the grandmother who was waiting nearby, and saw her dabbing her
eyes with a tissue. "She wanted to come with me to see you, oh, so very much, Santa!"
the child exclaimed. "She misses you," he added softly.

Santa tried to be cheerful and encouraged a smile to the boy's face, asking him what he
wanted Santa to bring him for Christmas.

When they finished their visit, the Grandmother came over to help the child off his lap,
and started to say something to Santa, but halted.

"What is it?" Santa asked warmly.

"Well, I know it's really too much to ask you, Santa, but.." the old woman began, shooing
her grandson over to one of Santa's elves to collect the little gift which Santa gave all his
young visitors.

"The girl in the photograph... my granddaughter well, you see ... she has leukemia and
isn't expected to make it even through the holidays," she said through tear-filled eyes.
"Is there any way, Santa, any possible way that you could come see Sarah? That's all she's
asked for, for Christmas, is to see Santa."

Santa blinked and swallowed hard and told the woman to leave information with his elves
as to where Sarah was, and he would see what he could do. Santa thought of little else the
rest of that afternoon.  He knew what he had to do. "What if it were MY child lying in that
hospital bed, dying," he thought with a sinking heart, "This is the least I can do."

When Santa finished visiting with all the boys and girls that evening, he retrieved from his
helper the name of the hospital where Sarah was staying. He asked the assistant location
manager how to get to Children's Hospital.

"Why?" Rick asked, with a puzzled look on his face.

Santa relayed to him the conversation with Sarah's grandmother earlier that day.

"C'mon.....I'll take you there." Rick said softly. Rick drove them to the hospital and came
inside with Santa.

They found out which room Sarah was in. A pale Rick said he would wait out in the hall.

Santa quietly peeked into the room through the half-closed door and saw little Sarah on
the bed.

The room was full of what appeared to be her family; there was the Grandmother and the
girl's brother he had met earlier that day. A woman whom he guessed was Sarah's mother
stood by the bed, gently pushing Sarah's thin hair off her forehead. And another woman
who he discovered later was Sarah's aunt, sat in a chair near the bed with a weary, sad look
on her face. They were talking quietly, and Santa could sense the warmth and closeness of
the family, and their love and concern for Sarah.

Taking a deep breath, and forcing a smile on his face, Santa entered the room, bellowing a
hearty, "Ho, ho, ho!"

"Santa!" shrieked little Sarah weakly, as she tried to escape her bed to run to him, IV tubes
intact.

Santa rushed to her side and gave her a warm hug. A child the tender age of his own son
-- 9 years old -- gazed up at him with wonder and excitement.  Her skin was pale and her
short tresses bore telltale bald patches from the effects of chemotherapy. But all he saw
when he looked at her was a pair of huge, blue eyes. His heart melted, and he had to force
himself to choke back tears. Though his eyes were riveted upon Sarah's face, he could hear
the gasps and quiet sobbing of the women in the room.

As he and Sarah began talking, the family crept quietly to the bedside one by one, squeezing
Santa's shoulder or his hand gratefully, whispering "Thank you" as they gazed sincerely at
him with shining eyes. Santa and Sarah talked and talked, and she told him excitedly all the
toys she wanted for Christmas, assuring him she'd been a very good girl that year.

As their time together dwindled, Santa felt led in his spirit to pray for Sarah, and asked for
permission from the girl's mother. She nodded in agreement and the entire family circled
around Sarah's bed, holding hands. Santa looked intensely at Sarah and asked her if she
believed in angels.

"Oh, yes, Santa... I do!" she exclaimed.

"Well, I'm going to ask that angels watch over you." he said.  Laying one hand on the child's
head, Santa closed his eyes and prayed. He asked that God touch little Sarah, and heal her
body from this disease. He asked that angels minister to her, watch and keep her. And when
he finished praying, still with eyes closed, he started singing, softly, "Silent Night, Holy Night....
all is calm, all is bright."  The family joined in, still holding hands, smiling at Sarah, and crying
tears of hope, tears of joy for this moment, as Sarah beamed at them all.

When the song ended, Santa sat on the side of the bed again and held Sarah's frail, small hands
in his own.  "Now, Sarah," he said authoritatively, "you have a job to do, and that is to concentrate
on getting well. I want you to have fun playing with your friends this summer, and I expect to
see you at my house at Mayfair Mall this time next year!"

He knew it was risky proclaiming that to this little girl who had terminal cancer, but he "had" to.
He had to give her the greatest gift he could -- not dolls or games or toys -- but the gift of HOPE.

"Yes, Santa!" Sarah exclaimed, her eyes bright.   He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead
and left the room.

Out in the hall, the minute Santa's eyes met Rick's, a look passed between them and they wept
unashamed.

Sarah's mother and grandmother slipped out of the room quickly and rushed to Santa's side to
thank him.

"My only child is the same age as Sarah," he explained quietly. "This is the least I could do."
They nodded with understanding and hugged him.

One year later, Santa Mark was again back on the set in Milwaukee for his six-week, seasonal
job which he so loves to do. Several weeks went by and then one day a child came up to sit
on his lap.

"Hi, Santa! Remember me?!"

"Of course, I do," Santa proclaimed (as he always does), smiling down at her. After all, the
secret to being a "good" Santa is to always make each child feel as if they are the "only"
child in the world at that moment.

"You came to see me in the hospital last year!"

Santa's jaw dropped. Tears immediately sprang in his eyes, and he grabbed this little miracle
and held her to his chest.  "Sarah!" he exclaimed. He scarcely recognized her, for her hair was
long and silky and her cheeks were rosy -- much different from the little girl he had visited
just a year before. He looked over and saw Sarah's mother and grandmother in the sidelines
smiling and waving and wiping their eyes.

That was the best Christmas ever for Santa Claus.

He had witnessed --and been blessed to be instrumental in bringing about -- this miracle of
hope. This precious little child was healed. Cancer-free. Alive and well. He silently looked up
to Heaven and humbly whispered, "Thank you, Father. 'Tis a very, Merry Christmas!

[SouthernSmoked]

I would like to add this small story to End or wonderful Christmas exchange amongst friends. The tears are free

That was the best Christmas ever for Santa Claus.

He had witnessed --and been blessed to be instrumental in bringing about -- this miracle of
hope. This precious little child was healed. Cancer-free. Alive and well. He silently looked up
to Heaven and humbly whispered, "Thank you, Father. 'Tis a very, Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Chris!

Once again many thanks to Sonny and Chris for this great gift!

I hope everyone enjoyed this as much as I have.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

God Bless!!

[OU812]

Marry CHRIStmas!!!!!

Way to much reading, Chris.  ;D

I'm playin with my puppy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TestRocket]

Yep, I had to dry my eyes on that one! 

[KyNola]

I am terribly late in posting pics of what Rdevous sent me all the way from MD.
The first pic is of the box's contents, a cookbook, some sweet treats and some sauces.

Remember I told you I received the most special box of all?  Here's why I made that statement.  The cookbook is from the Red Cross titled "Cooking For Heroes".  A collection of celebrity recipes for donors and recipents.

The two sauces are from a company that sells various sauces and a portion of the sale proceeds goes to various US Marine Corp organizations and charities.


Ray, thank you so much.

[DTAggie]

That is cool!

[classicrockgriller]

That is a most excellent gift.

Nice Ray.

[rdevous]

 
Kynola....nice photography work.  The sauces came from the Marine Corps Museum 's gift shop.  Everyone can order them and a ton of other merchandise online at http://www.marineheritage.org/Store_index.asp....or you can visit the museum and pick them up.  The sweets came from Target.  Since I can not donate blood, I have baked cookies for the blood drives at my Knights of Columbus Council for the last 5 - 6 years.  (I've had Red Cross workers tell me they work our drives to get my cookies.)  I stop by BJ's and pick up a tub of Pillsbury's Chocolate Chip and a tub of Sugar Cookie dough.  I roll the balls of sugar cookie dough in a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, ground clove, ground allspice and ground ginger.  (Dbrown1... ::)...did I just reveal my secret Toast Mix formula???  I'll never tell...insert the evil laugh of your choice here!!!  ::) )  If you want a sweet and sour taste...roll the sugar cookie dough balls in Tang drink powder...I'm serious...it was good!

Can you either post or PM me the web address on the sauce bottles?
 
Merry Christmas and a very blessed new year!!!
 
Ray

[KyNola]

The Gung Ho sauce is www.gunghosauce.com and Jason's is www.sauce2u.com

[Quarlow]

OK, Bump.
Now I first have to send a huge apology to Kinyo. I am just now posting my gift exchange from him. When my daughter moved out my camera somehow ended up in her stuff and she just found it. A thousand sorrys to you Laurent.
Now on to to my gift, first on the left is a 8.8 oz jar of "Coriander Chutney". Then and foremost was two 540 ml cans of Maple syrup from Quebec. Then we have a 15.7 oz bottle of "Dichicko's All Natural Peri Peri merinade". Next is a 150 ml bottle of "Walkerswood Hot Jamaican scotch bonnet pepper sauce. And finally a 5.6 oz shaker bottle of "Schwartz's steak and beef spice. If I missed anything thats cause it is already being put to use and I have forgotten who sent it to me. I have a terrible memory.
So again I am very sorry for this late homage, but here it is.

[TestRocket]

Um...better late then never? Nice snag! What all the (ml) stuff? Oh yea, you're a bit north of me! Congrats!   ;D

[Tenpoint5]

Your a Good Man Charlie Brown!!! Nice Gift Kinyo. Q whats that little bottle hiding behind the maple syrup??

[Quarlow]

Um er ah yeah that is a blood pressure pill.

[love the smoke]

Oh YES we are starting another gift exchange .................................................... oh crap looked at the dates and it is not quite time to start getting excited yet, man wa that ever a good time doing this exchange, look forward to next year

:D :D :D :D :D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

LTS