Every year, we put up an ‘Angel Tree’ in my establishment. Local families in need come to me with the names of their children to place on the tree with a short list of items they want for Christmas. I have done this for many years and this year, I decided to put the tree up early to allow for more childrens names and also to give people that want to help, more time to buy the gifts for the children.
I accept names of children from newborn to 18. The only thing that is one the Angel card is if the child is a boy or a girl, how old they are and three items they would like to have. I have seen items from tennis shoes to PSP’s put on the list but usually there are affordable things and nothing elaborate.
One child asked for nothing for himself. He only wanted three things for him to give to his parents and younger sister. This was a 10 year old ‘Man’ and I took his card personally. I guess I adopted the family that year for Christmas because I also invited them to my home for Christmas dinner. It was one of the best Christmases I can remember having. Yes the young man got plenty as did the whole family.
You see, they had lost everything in Hurricane Katrina and were trying to get their lives back together. I felt honored to be able to help them. Their mother still works for me and he even has a little part time job in the evenings taking out the trash and picking up around the outside of the place for me. He does a great job too. They are a very humble family and grateful for anything anyone does to help them.
So if you see an ‘Angel Tree’ somewhere, you should know that you are someones ‘Angel’ when you take that child, family or elderly persons name and buy them gifts. We are all someones ‘Guardian Angel’ sometimes in our lives if we choose to be. Please choose to be.