From across the parking lot, the ringing of the handbell could be heard as they approached the grocery store.  Reluctantly, but not wanting to portray a bad example for the children, the curmudgeonish grandfather reached into his pocket. He began to peel off a one-dollar bill to put in the bucket manned by a nice young lady all dressed festively in red just like the bucket hanging on the tripod.

But before the old man could make his move with his one-dollar bill, his young grandson opened his wallet, took out a twenty and bounded toward the young lady and her bucket, rolling up the bill and stuffing it in the slot.

“Hey bud that was a twenty dollar bill you put in there,” said the grandfather queryingly.

“I know, I just wanted to…” the boy replied.

“Well, that was very nice of you.”

After picking out the groceries and making sure everything on the list was there, along with a few additional items that always seem to end up in the grocery basket when grandchildren are shopping with their grandparents, they checked out and started their trip back to car exiting the store.

The young lady in red was still ringing.

The little boy stopped, reaching again for his wallet with his eyes getting big.

“Wait,” said the grandfather seeing what was again about to happen, “you already gave twenty bucks.”

But the little boy was determined and dashed down the sidewalk, once again to the red bucket, this time putting in a ten-dollar bill.

“Why did you do that” the old man inquired a second time.

“I just wanted to,” said the boy.

“Well, that was really very nice of you.”

 

On Christmas Eve the boys made sugar cookies with their grandmother, in shapes of Christmas trees, and snowmen, and gingerbread houses; they decorated the cookies in their own way with red and green sprinkles and icing.

Then they packed up their cookies in Christmas tins and containers and headed over to the local fire station.  Once there, they rang the doorbell as the instructions advised and waited.  A fireman appeared from the back and opened the door.  The cookies, it was explained, were made for the fireman who had to work on Christmas.  And because they were made with some almond flour, the cookies came with a warning in case there was a fireman allergic to nuts. The fireman invited the boys, their mom and grandparents into the firehouse and asked the boys if they would like to see the fire engines.

Of course!  And two nice firemen gave the boys the tour of the fire engine and thanked the boys for bringing them cookies.

 

Gee.

A couple of nice and unexpected Christmas stories.

Kim and I were determined to minimize the stress of Christmas this year.

The Christmas decorations remained in their boxes and storage bins.

The plans for a Christmas card and Christmas letter for 2024 were abandoned.

Instructions were given to the kids that we were going to keep things simple this year, keeping gifts to $25 gift cards for the adults and focusing only on Ethan, Christian, and Cameron.

And to top that off, we were going on a road trip and wouldn’t be home for Christmas in Herndon. Kim and I were going to take our time and drive to Florida to spend Christmas with the Florida family.

No decorating, no cooking, no entertaining, no major gift giving and unwrapping, no trash…

No stress.

So, after having an early Christmas dinner with the Northern Virginia crew and exchanging our gift cards, Kim and I packed up and left for Florida on Saturday the 21^st.   I made sure that before I left the house, I hung some greenery on the front door so we wouldn’t look too much like those people.

You know…scrooges.

Those people.

 

We took our time, stopping in Santee, South Carolina in time to watch the Steeler’s game in a local establishment called The Oasis where everyone was nice to us.

The next day, we finished our trip to Oviedo in time to celebrate Namaan’s birthday on Sunday.

We had a great week, took the kids to one of those bouncy places, saw an awesome movie called Sonic the Hedgehog 3, went to Cracker Barrel; wandered the neighborhood capturing Pokémon; played games, watched more Steeler’s and bowl games; ate, drank, and was merry…

But not at our house.

It was awesome.

Then with Christmas over, on Friday morning we took off to take even more time getting home.

We spent some time in Savannah, Georgia walking up and down River Street, taking a dinner cruise on an old river boat, doing some shopping and more merriment.

And, everyone we encountered, and we talked to many, were exceptionally nice.

The next morning, we stopped in Hardeeville, South Carolina and visited with our sister-in-law Teesha.

Then it was up the road to Fayetteville where we spent our last night, having dinner, watching old movies and yup, everyone was nice.

Sunday, we arrived home, ordered some Chinese food, watched football and went to bed.

We didn’t have to clean up or put away any decorations.

No stress.

 

On Christmas Eve, the kids put out eighteen carrots for the reindeer, some of those Christmas sugar cookies they baked and decorated, and some milk and candy canes.

Along with a letter that went like this:

Dear Santa Claus

I’m sorry I didn’t give you a candy cane last year so here’s 2.  I also am giving each reindeer 2 carrots.  I’m sorry for the bad things I’ve done this year.  I tried to make up for it by giving $30 to the Salvation Army and giving cookies to firefighters.  Thank you for being so nice and generous to people all over the world.

From, Christian Salem 12/24/2024

(address)

Oviedo, FL 32766

Warning!  These cookies have almond flour, do not eat if you have nut allergies

 

Yeesh.

Kim, get me a tissue again.

Nice…somehow, I don’t think he learned that from the guy reluctant to give up a buck.

I need redemption.

Dear Santa,

I too am sorry for all the bad things I have done this year.

I’m sorry I didn’t decorate the Christmas tree and only hung the green thing on the front door.

I’m sorry I had such a hard time squeezing that one dollar bill out of my pocket to give to the Salvation Army.

I’m sorry I was so cheap, only giving out $25 gift cards and didn’t send any Christmas cards.

And I don’t have any carrots or homemade cookies, but I do have some homemade wine for next year.

But I too also thank you for being so nice to people all over the world.

And I would like to thank all those people and family who were so nice to Kim and I this Christmas.

I will try to do better next year.

From, Curt   12/31/2024

Herndon, VA 20170

And Warning, watch the wine, it contains Sulfites!

 

I think the best gift I got from this Christmas was experiencing how nice people can be.

And that I don’t want to be one of those people.

You know…those people.

That’s right, and next year, I might even up those gift cards to $50.

 

Merry Christmas everybody!

And we hope your 2025 and ours turn out to be a happy ones.

Kim, Curt, Cameron, Ethan, Christian, Savannah, Leon, Hayley, Malcolm, Alexa, Namaan, and Donny too.

 

Postscript:

The photo on the card was taken after Hayley and Malcolm’s wedding last May when the whole crew was in Northern Virginia.

Kim and I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and thank you for all the cards and letters we received. And a special shout out to my cousin Judy, my sister, and my wife for some nudges in the Christmas spirit direction.