A Free Gift Makes The Best Holiday Present

 

I often emphasize to my daughters that the best holiday gifts are free or almost free.

My holiday life lessons on gift-giving are heard throughout my family this season.

It is with pride and a humble heart that I share the holiday gifts given to me from my husband and daughters.

My first reaction when I open the Chanukah gift from my husband is confusion.

Immediately I believe the gift bag is not labeled correctly.

My daughters often create poems or write letters as gifts. I assume the framed poem is from one of my daughters. I am mistaken.

David, my husband for more than twenty-two years has written me a poem about our relationship.

My reaction of shock, surprise show up all over my face as I keep asking if this gift is really from him.

You see my husband is not one to shower me with his written words.

I find his signature at the end of his seasonal cards mostly illegible and his closure usually a loving but straightforward, Love, David.

As I read my husbands poem my eyes fill with tears, by the time I have read midway through the poem my tearful eyes have overflown and streams of tears are rolling down my cheeks.

My husband gleefully tells me that his gift cost about $1.25. He calculates the cost of his gift from the $1.00 frame he purchased at The Dollar Tree Store, a piece of paper and the ink from his printer.

With teary eyes, I tell my husband that his gift is priceless.

With my husband’s permission, and encouragement from my mom I am sharing my husband’s poem with my HypoGal readers.

I am sharing this poem with a happy, peaceful heart.

My heart often is not at peace. Numerous times I have written about the what-ifs of my life and my marriage.

I realize marriage can be challenging, and demanding for the spouse of a chronically ill person.

For me, it is excruciating that my body does not follow what my heart wants.

So, cheers and much love to my husband.

The following is his poem:

 

 

The gifts from the heart continue on Christmas day as my youngest daughter gives me a grin and then she warmly hands me a piece of paper. 

On this piece of white 8 by 10 paper are words that make me visualize how I  appear to my daughter. 

My youngest daughter pens words that stir emotions from deep within my soul with her poem, Puzzles.

As I read my daughter’s gift, Puzzles I realize my daughter sees characters, values within me that I thought I had covered up or at least tempered. 

I love this poem, Puzzles.

The Puzzles poem speaks to my core being.

So, here is my daughter’s poem:

 

The lessons of love continue to fill my holiday season when my oldest daughter hands me a gift bag. 

Inside the gift bag is an adorable heartfelt scrapbook. The scrapbook contains photos of the two of us. 

The scrapbook is one of my most cherished gifts and it will be enjoyed for years and years. 

Here are several photos from my keepsake scrapbook:

 

 

My family’s holiday gifts have immeasurable worth.

For me, a free gift or almost free gift from the heart makes the best holiday present.

My free gift to my HypoGal readers is the same as last year, a weblink to discover free audiobooks. 

This year I have enjoyed dozens of free audiobooks.

The free audiobooks are part of our public library system.

If you would like to listen to free audiobooks then please click on A Gift Of Free Audiobooks From HypoGal.

Cheers and Happy Holidays!