Angel Tree Tradition
This year, we continued one of my favorite traditions of the season - gift shopping for the angel tree kiddos. Using the angel tree from our school district, our friends and I skip out on buying gifts for one another and spend time together shopping for our angels instead.
The students on our angel tree are chosen by school counselors and have an array of reasons as to why their Christmas may be a little different than ours. Fortunately, we were able to choose an entire family of siblings again - this year we adopted six to shop for! Three of us couples got two kiddos each, both a got a boy and a girl, and both a toddler and school-aged child.
None of us have kids of our own, so having toys and little shoes to shop for is so much fun! I can't say that we don't play with the toys ourselves, before turning them in. I mean, a dog that bounces along behind you as you run? Yes. Please.
And as always, it never fails, Coach buys our angel boy an outfit that he would basically wear himself. Lots of grays, stripes and tan. Only the most fashionable for these boys, y'all. But, I'll admit - this outfit in size 18 months is a whole lot cuter than anything in Coach's closet. Because tiny. That's why!
Once all the gifts are packed away in their individual bags and headed off to be sorted and delivered, there's a certain selfishness that arises. You know, me wanting to see the big payoff... seeing kids unwrapping the gifts.
But, I'm learning to appreciate imagining those little faces lighting up and we can continue through this season of giving, knowing we helped bring a little bit of smiles and laughter to some kids in our community. No matter what their family may be going through this year, they'll be playing with those trucks and and sleeping in brand new sheets by Christmas night. That's good enough for us!
This replaces any gift-giving with our group of friends and I don't think one of us regrets beginning this fun tradition. We meet up to shop, have a good dinner together and get to give back to those around us. Win-win-win.
What's your favorite way to give back in December?
