Merry Xmas to everyone!

May you all be blessed with peace and safety, prosperity in 2010. May you and your families be protected from all that threatens our lives on a daily basis.

My Xmas is going to be different this year. Finances are bad, very bad, so spend is minimal. No presents for the Princess or the kids from me. Princess bought the kids and family presents, as she got a bit of a bonus this year.

We going to be spending the day with family, my mom and her mom included, at her nephews house. It should be fun.

Yesterday I did what was the most exciting thing for me this Xmas. I went to the local grocery store, and bought a couple of shopping bags full of stuff, made up two hampers, and took them down to the squatter camp where I gave one to Witness's widow. The other was for Sara (refer to my posts on Witness) but she wasn't there. Her neighbours said that she had gone "home" for the holidays, so I'll keep it here till she gets back and then take it down to her.

The look of joy on the widows face when she a) saw me pull up, and b) when I told her I had a Xmas hamper for her is what Xmas is all about. Never mind all the fancy food, drinks and expensive presents that will do the rounds today. She was extatic about two bags of groceries. A little guy that came over to carry the stuff to her room came back to me with a big smile - she must have said something to him in their native language which I didn't catch, but you could see he was chuffed. So I called him over, and asked if he's also having Xmas, and he beamed a big yes, with great nofding of the head!!! I looked over to his mom, and asked if I can give him something, and she nodded yes, so I slipped him a note, and said he must go get a little chockie for his mom for Xmas. Massive excitement and big grin!!!! It's actualy so sad. But gratifying, as in their poverty they have learned to appreciate so much a small gift of any sort. That's where the Xmas spirit is found. Amongst those who celebrate with their hearts and not their wallets.

SO, to all of my readers here (all 3 of you), I wish for you the appreciation of Xmas for what it was / is meant to be. I wish for your the gratitude of small gift which come from the heart, and not the wallet, and I wish for all of you that you may experiance the joy of Xmas as I did, yesterday, in a squatter camp amongst the poorest of the poor.

Salagatle!