I was reminiscing with my youngest daughter this weekend about Christmas and the special things we do for people we love. It brought back some great memories of people my little family called "the Non'ts", plural for Nonna and Nonno, Italian for grandparents.
One year, we decided to secretly carry out the 12 Days of Christmas for them. Each day had a well thought out gift and a card attached with a poem on it explaining why that gift was given that day. They lived in Mapleton, in the house that I live in today, and in their area you will find no street lights. Just a beautiful darkness that is the perfect cloak of secrecy for those not wanting to be discovered while make special deliveries. My sweet husband would place the gift on the porch as I stayed in the car with the kids and watched. The most exciting part was quietly cheering my hubby back to the car before getting caught. The ride home would be filled with conversation of how he barely got out of sight or what the Non'ts might be thinking of the gift and especially of what the phone call in the morning from Nonna would bring.
Every morning Nonna and I would have our traditional phone call to talk about what the days events would bring, what we were going to cook that day and for me, a secret wish that she would tell me just to come to her house for dinner. What a cook she was! One morning after they received the first gift she called and asked if we were the ones carrying out this plan. "No Nonna. I wish I had thought of doing it :)." She never again asked if it was me, after all, why would I lie to her? The morning conversations then went like this...
Nonna....I Know who it is!
Me....Who?
Nonna....It's Gene and Bernie (their son and daughter-in-law who lived down the street).
Me....How do you know?
Nonna....The tracks in the snow led toward their house!
That evening, my hubby went from the porch in every possible direction in the snow before leaving the gift and running to the car.
Next Morning...
Nonna....I think I know who it is!
Me...Who?
Nonna...The neighbors around the corner! Nonno did some woodworking for them and I think they are trying to do something nice back.
Me...You might be right!
This went on through the next 10 days, tension growing, Nonna "knowing" who it was, hoping to not be caught. The Non'ts came to our home to watch the kids open their gifts on Christmas morning. The first thing Nonna said when she walked in was "We saw you last night." I looked at my sweetheart and said, "I knew you didn't get away fast enough!" To which both Nonna and Nonno, with surprise in their voice said..."It is you?!" I actually have chills on my body right now just reliving that moment. What a wonderful, wonderful time.
Our lives are filled with moments. Some awe-inspiring. Some stressful. Some downright crazy. But they are all a part of what makes us who we are. It is the Monday before Christmas and I invite you to take the time to enjoy the moments. Every one of them. Burn them into your memory to save for a day when you miss that person or need a smile. I also invite you to MAKE a moment for someone. You have no idea how much this will mean to someone else when they are able to remember a kindness, a smile, a thought.
Please take care of yourself through the holiday. And thank you for being part of MY moments.
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