Weird Christmas story?

[RICHARD]

My life is a strange compilation of coincidences that pop up unexpectedly.

They are things that make me go, "hmmmmmmm, what was THAT about?

--------------

The local grocery chain puts up a tree in the front of the store right after Thanksgiving that has paper ornaments on it.

The ornaments are printed up by the Salvation Army and each have a child's name on it under the picture of an angel. Each ornament you pick and scan at the register is a donation to the child's family for a Christmas dinner.

I think the first year we bought one - now we each buy one and we have made it a point to find the most unusual names on the treel.

After a few weeks of putting it off, I went to the store with Doris' and my money in hand, to get out ornament.

---------------

I walked into the store and made a bee-line to the tree and for a few seconds thought that there were no more angels up. When I got closer, I saw that the front and top of the tree were cleaned off and that there were about 20 angels left near the back and bottom. I bent over and began my search.

----------
I saw two angels and one caught my eye.

This angel had my last name on it (In recent years, I have seen my LAST name used as a first name). I thought, "Hokay, this is pretty funny, I'll buy it."

I started to look for the second angel and spied the one next to it.........

The child's name was "Jesus".

Now, Who am I to deny a kid who's name is Jesus a Christmas dinner?

The funnier thing? My Dad's name was "Jesus" so, in the space of a minute?

I had two angels one with Jesus and the other with family surname on it.

Sometimes I wonder about the magic of Christmas and think that I am too old for it, then something like that happens and I get back into the spirit of things.......;)

[Karen]

Aww, how nice! Good for you!

[smokey the elder]

A store near us had pre-packed bags of groceries you could pay for to do a food drive. They did all the work; all the customer had to do was pay for a bag or bags.

[RICHARD]

A store near us had pre-packed bags of groceries you could pay for to do a food drive. They did all the work; all the customer had to do was pay for a bag or bags.

I do like that idea.

------

Another way organizations get donations is to set up a table at the front of the store and you buy something and drop it off to the volunteers.

I have a confession to make.

Growing up, my parents had a steel pantry and for some reason it was like a portal to the world of Mac and Cheese and Spam.

That was the fastest way to get something to eat - Boil water, add macaroni, drain, add milk, butter and yellow powder. Spam was easier.

Open a can, slice it up and put it on toast with mayo/ketchup/mustard, add a slice of cheese!

If you wanted to go gourmet? Take a slice, put it on a fork and carefully 'grill' it over an stove flame.

(The blue/black color will not come off the tines of the fork, trust me.)

--------------------

Anyway,

As an adult, I won't eat or order mac and cheese or Spam. If some shows up, unexpected?

I will eat it.

But the only time I do buy it?

It's for the food drive!

----------------

I laugh when I put the Spam into the basket.

I know there is the chance that some kid is going to pitch one of mom's good forks into the trash, after he heats up his 'slice'....