Each year my wife and I take names off a couple of trees at the bank and church, names of children that want such and such for Christmas.  It's nice on one hand to see some of them want warm clothes but on the other hand it's sad that kids have to ask for warm clothes rather than a toy.

I can recall on one occasion giving a better toy to one of those kids than our kids got.  While our kids didn't grow up with a lot of toys and stuff we managed to make their lives pretty good compared to a lot of the world. 

What has always perplexed me is why not one person in all these years has ever dropped off a thank you at the local news paper.  They wouldn't have to identify themselves.  A simple note scribbled on a piece of paper and left in the office mailbox saying thank you to the community for sharing your gifts with us would be a nice gesture.  I'd like to know that they liked what they received and it'd be nice to know that they understood some people did without something for themselves to give to others.

So far after doing this for a quarter of a century there's not been one note in our local paper.

We'll keep on giving and hoping that the recipient enjoys the gift.