Sarah, thanks for the beautiful story - it reminded me of a time when some friends and I discovered a neighbour who was in the same situation, the father was out of work and sick, 3 children, the mother too proud to ask for help etc. We found out by accident through the visiting nurse who was attending the husband, After a few phone calls we came up with 2 hampers of food, turkey included, about 6 boxes of toys and clothes for the children and parents. Not to embarrass the lady we had it delivered with no name. Later when her husband recovered and returned to work, she mentioned it one day to me, I just played dumb and said " Maybe there is a Sanat Claus after all". She still has no idea where the stuff came from. WE all felt really good that year.

This year, after Midnight Mass, all the family at home except one daughter, snow on the ground, good Christmassy feeling all around. I got the usual shirts,chocolates, after shave, socks etc. but also my wife gave me a book " 1000 years of Irish Poetry", my daughter gave me " 44 Irish Short Stories" and from Santa another book " Traditional Songs from the North of Ireland". Later my 2nd daughter who lives in Ireland called to wish us a Merry Christmas and to inform us that she was engaged to be married, he proposed on Christmas day, she was so happy it made our day also. All in all a very merry Christmas.