Giving

The holiday season is upon us.  I know this because the holiday decorations are up in the stores, the bell ringers are standing near their kettles at the entrances, and a neighbor has his tree up on the front porch.

I have just finished knitting my twelfth Christmas stocking.

I made these three stockings for a friend.

The first three stockings were gifts to a friend who had posted she needed decorations.  Reading her request I knew I could knit something up.

That is why I knitted the stockings you see here.

But I wasn't done.  I thought there should be more than just stockings.

Then I found three Styrofoam bells that I had stuck away for one reason or another.  I got out my crochet hooks and this is the result:

Ding dong these bells don't ring!

I thought they were rather cute.

As I had my hooks out and my crochet thread, it was a short step to doing snowflakes!

My kind of snow!  It doesn't need shoveling.

A few are from patterns but most are just improvised.

I think they will look lovely on her tree.

I felt so happy that I was able to do this for her.

A few days later, I was in the local big chain store for a quick stop.  I noticed an older couple trying to use one of those price scanners.  They were waving their big tin of popcorn in front of the screen.

I went into an aisle, got my gallon of iced tea, and they were still there when I came out of the aisle.

No one, not even those in the blue vests seemed to notice.

So I walked over and waved my hand under the scanner so they could see the red light.

"Try putting it down here," I told them.

They did and the machine beeped.  They were glad that someone had shown them how to use it.  I'm not sure if they were happy with the price.

At first, I was a bit peeved at those who did not take the 30 seconds to show this couple how to use the price scanner.  It wasn't that hard for me to do.  But then, I noticed the feeling I had from helping them.  It echoed the feeling I had knowing that I had done something for my friend.

It was a good feeling.  One worth repeating.  And I wondered why I didn't seek it out more.

It is so easy to make that donation into a kettle or write a check and think we have done enough.  Monetary donations can touch those who are far away.

But the feeling you get from giving money does not compare to that you get when you give of yourself.  A bit of your time, your knowledge.

I am going to try to do this more often.  Give someone a smile, perhaps reach for the item on the top shelf, or push their cart back to the store.  Just a little something nice.

I am realizing that in order to feel the good you must share it rather than hoard it.

Have you?

P.S.  The other Christmas stockings are for another friend who saw the first three.  She will get seven so that leaves me with two.  Wonder what I will do with those?