My Parents and Christmas

This week I went by my parents and helped them put up the Christmas Tree. They were really excited to have the help and to get it all out of the storage, until they couldn't find the decorations box. Mom just knew it was "GONE". When I got to their home, I suggested we look really good in every box that was in the storage area and maybe we could find them. Well, we did, in the forth box we opened. Dad thought I was putting too many ornaments on the tree and that it was going to fall through the floor. My daughter and I have always thought their tree looked something like the Christmas tree on Charlie Brown's Christmas show. Ha Ha. I ended up putting all the ornaments and four strings of lights and the smallest Angel on the top of the tree I have every seen. Then they decided to put up the Christmas Village on the mantel of the fireplace. That wasn't something I had remembered they had and had not planned to do, but why not. So we got it all out and it was all I could do to keep mom from climbing up and doing it herself. Dad stood in the back of the room and gave directions on exactly where each building needed to go.... a little to the right, no a little to the left, up a little.... ok that's it...! Whew, glad I had all the help! They haven't put out their christmas decorations up in two years, because they thought it was too much trouble. Now I think it was because no one acted interested if they put it out or not, me included. I don't really understand why they have to be encouraged to do something that is so simple and a normal cycle of life every year. They both said to the family a couple of years ago that it was time to stop giving gifts to each other and that it was too expensive and so they just weren't going to buy anybody anything, and they didn't want any gifts from anyone. This was really hard for me to accept. I am not rich and have a difficult time deciding on what to give others, but this took the cake. I honestly can't really remember what gift I received from my sister or brother a few years back, but I do have fond memories of exchanging the generosity of giving SOMETHING to people I have known all my life. I don't have a large family and the idea has made me feel empty inside, more than my pocket book. I can't get past the fact that it is so hard to get someone else a pair of house shoes for five dollars or a scarf or just something at a time when we are supposed to think of others as Jesus did for us so many years ago. Sure I could buy my own house shoes, scarf or most anything else that one could afford or need, it is just the thought that they made the effort and thought to give me something. My parents gave up a lot to make my life comfortable. Now that they are old it is hard not to think of them. It is hard to show a good example to my children to think of others when the Grandparents say to just not do it. This year my daughter has helped me to overcome this, at Thanksgiving we decided to collect money from each family member to purchase a gift for Mom and Dad and some extra money to buy "exchange gifts" for everyone in the family. I'm not sure how everyone is going to except this, so it will be interesting to say the least. If it doesn't work, I'm afraid it will be the last effort toward establishing a MERRY CHRISTMAS at the old home place.