The Twelve Days of Christmas Joy

Do you know someone who has suffered a loss or will be lonely this Christmas?  Although Christmas is a celebration of Christ's birth -- a joyful time for us -- many people find it is a lonely time.  This is especially true of those who have lost a loved one and will spend their first Christmas without them.

Several years ago, a friend suggested a new way to share the warmth and love of Christmas in a new way.  She knew of a family that would not be together at Christmas because of a death.  So we packaged twelve gifts -- one to be opened each day from December 14-25.  The first gift of the twelve days should be one of something: a cheery mug, a book, a hat.  The gift for the second day should be two of something: two socks, two gloves...you get the idea.  As the twelve days increase, you must be creative, or resourceful.  A book with nine chapters for day nine or a CD with twelve songs for the twelfth day might work.  The project is always done in secret and the giver is never to be identified.

Being on either the giving or the receiving end of a Twelve Days of Christmas Joy project is a blessing.  Your family could sponsor a family and share the blessing of giving this Christmas season.  It only takes twelve gifts to make the project work.  

The gifts need to be wrapped and ready to deliver before December 13.  If the family lives close by, you can arrange for a neighbor to deliver the gifts to protect your identity.  If they live far away, you will have to be creative and prepared in advance to mail a large box with all the packages in time for the first gift to be opened.  Try writing a Twelve Days of Christmas poem to be read on the twelfth day.  It should identify each of the gifts and why it was chosen (i.e. eight ounces of chocolate), in case it's not obvious.  In these days of compassion, why not reach out to someone in need and share some of your Christmas joy?