A Memorable Christmas

She was showing off all of the things she had gotten for Christmas. Among the items were some expensive jewellery, a fur coat and a new dress. She was elated with the gifts her husband had showered on her. I was happy for her.

Then she turned to me and asked, “John, what did you get for Christmas?” I replied, “Nothing.” She thought I was joking and said, “Come on. Everybody gets something for Christmas.” I assured her, feeling a bit embarrassed, that I had received nothing. After an awkward moment, I retreated to my office. Actually, I had lied. I had received a great deal more than nothing.

On that Christmas I awoke to an empty house. I lived in Edmonton and didn’t have the funds to return to my family in Ontario. There was no tree, no decorations, no cookies, no Christmas dinner and nobody but myself. Not only that, but the night before, on Christmas Eve, I went to the barn to feed my cats, only to find one of them frozen to death. I remember sobbing when I saw the stiff, lifeless body of the kitten. Yet, it was a Christmas I remember with fondness.

It was a cold winter morning. On the coldest mornings in Alberta the sun is reflecting off the snow. I lived in a farmhouse surrounded by 300 acres. In spite of the lack of everything associated with Christmas and the misfortune of the cat the night before, it felt like Christmas. I wasn’t going to sit there alone. I decided to get into my truck and just drop in on people.

First, I went to George’s house. He and his wife were alone with their recent baby. I rang the doorbell and sang a Christmas carol. The door opened and the warmth of the home greeted me. The warmth was not only the heat, but the wonderful greeting they gave me. Being alone, they really appreciated my impromptu arrival and we sat around for a couple of hours. Originally from Québec, George’s wife served me some homemade tortière – a spicy meat pie – and all the fixings to go with it.

I left at about 2 pm. Where should I go? The Griffins! Again, I knocked on the door and sang a Christmas carol. I was immediately whisked inside and treated as if Santa himself had arrived. We spent time chatting and playing with the toys their kids had gotten. Marg sensed that I had nowhere to go for dinner, so an extra place was set at the table and I tucked into a complete Christmas feast. I walked away feeling satisfied in every way possible.

It's true, I hadn’t received any presents that Christmas, but I realized that I had received the greatest gift of all. I had received the special gift of love, which is the true message of Christmas.