by L.S. Watts

Created on: September 21, 2009

It was Christmas time in 2004 and times were tough financially. I was just let go of my job and was having difficulty finding another one. Bills were getting paid, but just barely. The thought of being able to afford Christmas gifts that year was depressing. Even more disheartening was the thought of seeing the disappointment on my children's faces on Christmas morning when there wouldn't be any gifts to open or a lavished meal being prepared. I remember crying myself to sleep each night because I wasn't sure what to do.

I kept this whole ordeal a secret from even my closest friends. Perhaps it was just a pride issue. I had never had to ask for help before and I was rather embarrassed that we were struggling. I knew my friends were prosperous and I didn't want pity. I knew the tough times were temporary so I didn't want to ask for help. Again, in hindsight, it was a false pride issue. They wouldn't have out casted me, but that is what I would have felt. Maybe out cast isn't the proper term. I didn't want pity of any sort nor did I want to burden my friends with our burdens.

I also remember praying. I wasn't even sure if God could even hear my pleas but at least I was able to voice my hardship and requests to the angels, my guides, and God. Every night, I would pray to be shown the way to a solution so that I would be able to give my children some sort of Christmas gifts. At this point, I couldn't even afford to get them one or two items at the Dollar Tree where everything costs just $1.00. Most of the charities like Toys for Tots and the Angel Tree were no longer enrolling children in the programs. So I honest was at rock bottom and out of hope.

It was about a week until Christmas and my kids wondered why there weren't any presents under the tree like there normally was. I hadn't told them about how there would be no Christmas gifts this year and not Christmas dinner either. I had spent the entire holiday hiding that fact from them and concentrating on the simpler things of Christmas that didn't cost a cent. Things like decorating, playing music, baking a few batches of cookies with what ingredients I could afford. We even read Christmas stories, watched Christmas movies and television specials.

It was a Saturday afternoon. We had just finished watching a Christmas movie when the door bell rang. There was a man that we didn't know standing outside our door. Being leery, I opened the door and said, "Can I help you?" The man looked bewildered but asked for me

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