Letters To Santa - Operation Santa

Part 2

I read over my letters several times thinking about what each child and family might both want and need.  One of the letters was so specific but the other was not and said simply "any help that you can give."  I called friends with children around the same ages as the children written about in the letters to ask for suggestions and wandered up and down many aisles in the stores!

After multiple trips to a few stores, all the presents were purchased.  Next step getting the boxes!  A quick trip was made to buy them, and then armed with my packing tape and scissors, they were soon set up in my living room and ready to be packed.

I took all the purchases out of the shopping bags and grouped them for each family.  Once I had everything figured out, I set out packing.

The first family was Tamiko's 9 year old son and 8 year old daughter.  Among other things their box included Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble, Legos and Barbie, swim caps and goggles, books, a science kit, a basketball, notebooks and pens, winter caps, and some plates, dishtowels, and a new scarf for mom.

The second family was Arlena's 8 and 4 year old sons.  Their box included things such as tennis balls, rubber bouncing balls, a frisbee, stuffed superheros, puzzles, a soccer ball, toy trucks and cars, crayons, pens, sketch paper, Legos, fleece blankets, plus some gifts for mom.

Lastly, I wrote a letter from Santa and included one in each box.  They have been delivered to the post office and are on the way to their intended recipients. 

All I wish now is that I could know what the families reactions are when they open them. 

Choose Kindness

Today is December 14th, and there has been much in the news about the one year anniversary of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary.  I am ever amazed at the ability of some of the families to turn their tragedy into activism and a positive message.  For a while I have been following the activities of the families of Emilie Parker and Daniel Barden.  They were two of the young victims, and their families have blogs and Facebook pages dedicated to sharing the positive messages of their children and being kind.  What strength it must take to do so, but what a honor to their memories.

In thinking about them, I have realized that choosing kindness is something you never regret.  You might regret spending too much, eating too much, wasting too much time, saying an unkind word, treating someone as you would not want to be treated....but you will never regret choosing kindness!

  

Ornaments

It is time again for me to leave Christmas Tree ornaments for some finders.  This is one of my favorite items to give away, and I have done so every year since starting this project.  I have hung them on trees in parking lots, left them on benches and car windshields, hung them on hooks under restaurant bars, etc.

I know some have found happy, grateful recipients, and I feel certain others have been overlooked or thrown away.  The world we live in leads to so many people doubting a random kindness.  I certainly hope most of the ornaments I have selected this year make it home onto someone's tree.

Letters to Santa - Operation Santa

PART 1

Three years ago I was watching the local news the week before Christmas and saw a story about the United States Postal Service Letters to Santa Program (also known as Operation Santa).  It was the first time I had heard about the program, and since they were looking for more helpers, I got involved.

Operation Santa is a program that some post offices throughout the United States participate in by gathering letters to Santa from needy families put into the mail addressed to "Santa, North Pole."  In the cities that have been participating for a number of years, some social service organizations and school teachers encourage needy families to send letters to the post office knowing there is a program in place.

The letters are then organized into piles based on the number of children, any identifying information like last names, addresses, etc. are blacked out with a marker and each letter is given a number.  There is a separate room in the post office set up with a Christmas tree and various decorations and all the letters are there to be read by individuals willing to take a letter and make a family's holiday wishes come true.      

The room in my post office just opened so I was there the day after Thanksgiving reading the most touching letters written by mothers, fathers, grandparents, older siblings, little children, etc.  Each letter told a story of the family's situation and holiday wishes.  

As a volunteer you simply have to show a photo identification and then document which letter numbers you took.  The first year I participated I took 7 letters and shopped for all the children.  My kitchen was lined with boxes and letters so I could match the items I purchased to each child's box and then bring them all to the post office.  

When bringing them to the post office I simply had to indicate the letter number on the outside and the post office would then look at the records and put the correct mailing address on the box.  The whole process is anonymous to the giver and the receiver.  It is a true Secret Santa program.    

This year I read though all the many letters and selected two for a total of four children.  The first letter writes about Daryl and Orlando ages 8 and 4, respectively.  Their mother writes of her struggle to get by and provide for her boys.  This letter was also accompanied by a letter from their school principal about the family.  The second letter is from a woman named Tamiko writing about her 9 year old son and 8 year old daughter who both love to swim and to read.  

While there will be many letters that go with no response as the need is greater than the number of volunteers, I am pleased to be able to make a difference for these four children.  I will blog again when I have there boxes put together.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Crafting Craziness

Lately I have been on a crafting kick!  I go through these phases sometimes when I am desperate for a change and something new to focus my energy on.  You must know the feeling of just wanting to have something to show for your time.  It is so easy to get home at the end of the day and just sit in front of the television until suddenly three hours have passed.

Photography has been a hobby for a while now but within the past couple weeks I have moved on to cross stitch.  Visits to the fabric and craft store, watching YouTube instruction videos, stitching and then ripping out and then stitching again.  It is amazing how learning something new is relaxing in a way and turns the evening into a time when something can be accomplished.

I was talking with a co-worker about my latest adventures this week and he mentioned he has recently gotten into woodworking.  During our conversation he mentioned that doing projects such as arts and crafts can train your brain to be better at problem solving and has other benefits.

More to come on my crafting projects but for now a small present of playing cards.  Since playing solitaire, poker, or even go fish can be fun for you and your brain!

Good Things Are To Come

As I have written about before, I am a believer in positive thoughts and the other day I was trying to stay positive on a difficult day.  I happened to walk by an art store and spotted this magnet in the window....

It seemed meant just for me to see.  I walked into the store and picked up three....one for me and two for others.  Three seemed an appropriate number as I recently visited author Henry David Thoreau's home at Walden Pond and was struck by a quote.  He lived in an extremely small home with a bed, desk, and three chairs...."one for solitude, two for friendship and three for society."  

Place Card Holders

Several months ago someone gave me a set of six place card holders that are different glass animals.  There is an owl, hedgehog, peacock, etc.  While I am not one to have dinner parties, I did love the set and use them to hold photos on my bedside table, notes on my desk and even recipe cards when I am in the kitchen.

   

This week while shopping I saw a few pumpkin place card holders that fit the season and caught my eye.  Hoping the finders enjoy them and find a way to put them to use holding something special.

The Power of Positive Thoughts

I work in a profession that has me interact with clients throughout the year.  After many years and hundreds of clients there are a few that stand out and really have moved from client to trusted colleague and friend.

One such person is S.  It is hard to believe I have known her for 13 years at this point and have been able to hear the stories as her daughters have grown from toddlers into young women.  She is one of those people who is easy to work with and whose name you are always happy to see across the caller id on the phone.

Recently I heard from S that she is going through a challenging time, and I told her I would be thinking of her and sending good thoughts.  

This got me thinking about the fact that I so often say to friends and family when they are having a either a happy but nerve-wracking time or a difficult time that I will be sending them good thoughts.  I have found so often that positive thoughts can make a difference.  I remember in particular one personal experience when I was just out of college and headed to take a big licensing exam.  My sister put a post-it on my bedroom door late at night, and when I woke early to head to the testing center her good luck wishes were the first thing I saw.  They set me on a positive path for the day.

With that in mind I have purchased a few post-it pads and am going to leave some notes around for strangers to find.  They will say things such as.....be kind, smile at a stranger, think happy thoughts, etc.

I hope these kind thoughts impact the lives of the finders.....inspire them to pay kindness forward......and create a huge amount of good thoughts back to S.

Warm Apple Cider

One of my favorite drinks in the fall is warm apple cider.  I pour it in a mug, put it in the microwave, and within a minute there is such a sweet scent in my kitchen, and sipping the cider instead of tea or coffee is such a welcome seasonal change.

Last weekend I traveled to an orchard to pick a bag of fresh apples.  I have been snacking on them all week....whole, peeled and sliced or even sprinkled with cinnamon.....they have been yummy!  While at the orchard, I also picked up a fresh half gallon of cider.  Every morning since I have had a warm mug of it.

When I make a special drink the glass or mug I have adds to the experience for me.  So I have a couple new mugs.  I hope the finders use them for their own favorite drink.

Back to School

September is here yet again and the signs of a new school year are all around.  I have seen school bus stops with children waiting in communities that have school start before Labor Day.  For all those communities starting later this week after Labor Day, I feel certain there are anxious children and parents anticipating the first day and trying to get back into the swing of early to bed and early to rise.

 

The stores all seem to have one or two back to school aisles right now stocked with all the supplies a child (or adult who loves such things) might need and they are packed with shoppers.  There are some shopping for the very first day of kindergarten looking for crayons and pencil cases and those nervously anticipating middle school and hoping to have the appropriately cool accessories.

I have seen many streets around me packed with college students unloading their parent's minivans or small trailers.  Small refrigerators, bedding, basic kitchen supplies, etc. being carried by multiple floors.  The thrill of living on their own just hours away!

It is a funny thing about September that even for those who are simply have a regular month at work there is a slight sense of a new year beginning and a return to indoor eating, the end of long sunny weekends, and the return of full work weeks.

In thinking about this time of year I picked up some magnets that can be used to tack up a second grade spelling test or a message between college roommates that I hope some finders enjoy.

Notes Fate Meant For You

As I have mentioned in the past I am a believer in the joy of the handwritten note.  In this age of text and e-mail (and don't get me wrong as there is a place for both) there is something conveyed in a note you can hold in your hands and see the handwriting meant for you that sets the experience apart.

I was reminded of this fact twice this week alone.  Several weeks ago I had written a thank you to a friend who hosted a gathering.  In the note, in addition to thanking her for the event, I mentioned a  couple meaningful memories.  When she saw me this week she thanked me for the thank you and the sentiments expressed.  According to her, the entire day was happier from the moment she opened her mailbox.  She mentioned that although it was odd to thank someone for a thank you note it was like a little gift and it meant something to her.

A coworker for the past 12 years had her last day at work this week.  A favorite gift of mine for someone I have spent good times with is a clock with a note that repeatedly works the word "time" into the sentences.  I left her the note and the wrapped gift on her desk.  When she discovered it, she opened the envelope and after reading just one line she teared up and tucked it back into the envelope to be read later.  It was an emotion I just don't think would have been conveyed in an electronic format.

So, if my notes impacted those I know couldn't they also impact a stranger?  I think so!  So with pen and Sharpies in hand I have set out to do just that.  Maybe the first line will be "This is a random note of kindness that fate meant for you!"

Good Morning

There is a small town in New Hampshire that is my favorite place on earth.  Yes, that's right, my favorite place in the whole, wide world.  No matter where I go it is the one place I am always the happiest and most relaxed enjoying the simple pleasures in life.  It is the place I am home even though it is not where I reside.

One town over there is a country store on the main route that has the basics in food and beverages for sale along with crafts from local artists.  The best part of the store however is that there are a half dozen tables and they serve breakfast!  It is a place that I would imagine many drive by at 50 mph and don't necessarily take note of hidden gem outside their window.  

It seems to me that it is completely run by women with Kelly's name on the door, a woman short order cook on the grill and one waitress, Patty.

As soon as you walk in and seat yourself you are offered fresh coffee.  It is a welcome sight in the morning!  

   

Within minutes it is apparent that this is a local spot where people gather and catch up with friends to share the latest joys and sorrows.  There is table hopping and chatting from booth to booth.  Although I do not fit in quite so well as to be chatting with everyone, it is such a pleasant environment.  

From scrambled to sunny side up with bacon or sausage, or maybe an omelet with a a side of homefries and a grilled english muffin, all the food is delicious and tastes like you are sitting in your best friend's kitchen.

The icing on the cake to what makes it a great start to the day though is Patty the waitress.  There are so many people who work hard and really make a difference and deserve to be told how much the way they do their job matters and makes the days of others more enjoyable.  Patty is one of those people.  

I have looked up the address for the restaurant and have sent Patty a thank you for the important role she plays in her community.  

Is there anyone you see everyday that you should thank?

Sights to See

A few weeks ago I was standing at my usual morning bus stop awaiting the three full vehicles that undoubtedly pass me by before one I can finally squeeze into when I noticed a couple standing in the bus stop looking over the bus map and time schedule.  They were not the people I normally spot at the stop standing quietly while staring down the street hoping to see an approaching bus.  I decided to ask them if they were visiting, and to my surprise they were and had decided to take the public transit.

We had a lovely chat.  S&L were in from Tacoma, WA and headed to all the major cities in the northeast over two weeks.  They were headed to a particular guided tour, and I told them I would help them on their way as I would need to get off at the same stop they would.

Once we got off the bus I walked them to exactly where they needed to be and left them my e-mail address in case they needed any further help or advice while in town.  Later that afternoon I received an e-mail from them and a dinner invitation for the following night.

In anticipation of dinner I worked on a long list of things they might want to see while in town including prices, directions and insider tips.  We met up the following evening and talked about what they had done and my suggestions for how they might want to fill the following three days.  We had such an enjoyable evening, and I was thankful our paths had crossed briefly.

I have some to do list notepads as making the list of places to see for S&L reminded me of the lists many of us make every day.

The next time you see a stranger on the street looking at a map say hello and maybe ask if they need assistance.  You never know how it might turn out!  :)

Bicycle Clips

Several years ago I was sent some information in the mail by a friend and the paperclip holding the materials together was shaped like a waving hand.  It was a bright yellow hand with rounded little fingers and something about it has always made me smile.  

It sits in my dish of paperclips, and although all it does is get in the way and have other regular paperclips get tangled in it, I just cannot part with it because it makes me smile.

I found some bicycle shaped clips the other day and with summer now here I thought they would be great not just for holding paperwork together but also as a bookmark for a lazy beach day of reading!

Mirrors

This spring has been busy and I have been traveling quite a bit with stops in South Carolina, Arizona and Missouri within the last six weeks.  Travel always involves eating out either in groups or, often when on business travel, alone.  Last weekend I was alone eating some amazing barbeque in Kansas City, and after I finished I was searching my bag for a small mirror to just check my face and teeth for stray food.  Well I came up empty!

With the summer arriving I figured there are plenty of people who can use a small mirror to check to make sure they got sunblock on correctly, or don't have a sunburn or don't have barbeque in their teeth!

Bubbles

I recently spent some time with a friend's daughter and one of the toys she had to play with was bubbles!  It is interesting that amid all the fads and expensive toys some of the best are the simple ones like bubbles, frisbees and tennis balls.  Bubbles can now be found scented and in various colors in addition to the old favorites.  

I bought a few two can packages of bubbles.  Today I went for a lovely two hour walk at a local arboretum I had not been to since I was a middle schooler on a field trip.  Many of the lilacs in bloom filled the air with beautiful scent, and there were so many people out enjoying the day....young and old....in groups and alone....exercising and picnicking.  Hopefully a few joyful children found and enjoyed the bubbles! 

Bright Frames

A couple weekends ago I walked into a home furnishing store that was all bright colors.  Everywhere I looked there were bold colored pillows, vases, chairs, etc.  It got me thinking that a bit of color especially with spring arriving can be uplifting.  I found some brightly colored frames for random finders to add a bright pop of color to their living room, office space or maybe even kitchen counter.

Calling Cards

Since I began this project I have written each and every note by hand which has been necessary since each gift has been different.  Recently I have decided buying meals for random strangers in a restaurant will be one of my frequent acts, and, as a result, I have purchased some new calling cards.  Below is a picture of the front and back of the cards.

Very excited to use them for the first time today!

A Week that Saw the Worst and the Best of Humanity

Last Sunday, I took a day trip to Portland, Maine and had a list of all the things I wanted to do and the places I wanted to see in my one day there.  The first stop was a place for breakfast.  As soon as we parked and got out of the car to walk the block back to the restaurant a man walked by us alone.  He appeared to possibly be down on his luck.  I looked right at him and smiled and said good morning. He smiled back and after we passed each other he turned around and yelled back to me, "Mam, thank you for saying that."  He had the most genuine smile and I could tell that the simple act of saying hello had made his day and in turn he had made mine.

Just one day later, I was at two blocks from the finish line of the Boston Marathon when I heard the bombs go off and witnessed people running in fear.  The terrorist act was followed by so many acts of kindness with strangers helping strangers and the city coming together at a terribly sad time.  I saw comfort dogs walking the city and restaurants opening their doors to help people evacuated from their homes.  Most amazing of all were the first responders who ran toward the danger and saved so many lives.

The kindnesses of strangers over this past week should make all of Boston and all of America so proud.     

To Do List Notepads

This time of year is a particularly busy one for me at work so I usually have just have one day a week off.  As a result on that one day my mind races with the things I need to get done.  The list ranges from the everyday tasks like laundry and washing dishes to other activities that are important to me like this blog and sending cards to friends.

In order to keep track of the items I want to accomplish I always have a notepad close by to keep my running to do list.  My newest notepad is a Post-it pad with a turtle drawn on the bottom.  It is the small things like the turtle that just make me smile.

I have a few similar notepads to leave for random finders!

Photo Albums

Tonight I am going with a friend to see his son in a high school play.  I am positive there will be many cameras in the crowd as parents, grandparents, and classmates aim to preserve the memories.  The photos will surely be posted online and saved on home computers.  However, I imagine very few will be printed and framed.

Over the years I have made an effort to print photos from certain times (trips, graduations, etc.) and put them into albums.  It makes them easy to leave on a coffee table and flip through from time to time.  It is likely that these albums will increasingly matter to me as more time passes.  I remember how I loved looking through old family albums at my grandparents' homes when I was a child.  

So my gifts tonight are some photo albums hoping the finders print a few photos from an important time or day.  Maybe they even choose to make an album of the play hoping that one day when the play is long since in the rear view mirror of their lives they flip back through the book and smile at the memories that are tangible and in their hands.

Macaroon Magnets

Macaroons must be popular right now or maybe it is just that I have started noticing them.  You know how that happens sometimes when you learn or become aware of something new and then you seem to see it everywhere!  Well, I have seen macaroons in all sorts of amazing colors and flavors in the bakery, in advertisements, a recipe for them in the paper, etc.

Today I was in a favorite store and I saw a whole line of products with colorful macaroon pictures.  Given that March 1st is Friday and spring is drawing closer, I could not help but he drawn to the vibrant colors and picked up a bunch of magnets.

I will have to keep one or two for my own refrigerator and office magnetic board.   The rest will be left for various recipients.  Now I just need to think of some new places to leave them so they are found and enjoyed.

Merry Mornings

Since I started this blog my random acts have always been leaving gifts to be found, and some of the recipients post here on the blog (for which I am so thankful and encouraged to keep going).  However there have been many gifts I have wondered if were ever found or appreciated.  Some I left outside and they could have blown away and others might simply have been overlooked and thrown away.

The #26Acts effort made me think outside the box and look for new and different ideas since I had so many to do in a short period of time.  One of my pleasures is often going to breakfast on Sunday morning at a favorite spot near my home.  A few weeks ago I decided to choose a family in for breakfast and pay for their meal.  I worked with a waitress I was familiar with to pull off the anonymous gesture.  I did not stay long enough to see their reactions, but for the first time since I began my life as the Undercover Ladybug, I got to see and choose the recipients.

This morning I was back for breakfast and the waitress filled me in on the family's stunned reaction.  It made me so thrilled that I told her we would have to do it again today and continue it into the future.  It feels a bit like we are partners in kindness!

Kindness has a ripple effect in the world and my hope is all finders find at least one small way to pay it forward!

PS - Thank you to today's recipients for the comment.  You have made my day and warmed my heart! :)