A Henry County Christmas Story

“A Henry County Christmas Story”

It was Christmas 1975 in McDonough, Georgia and it was a cheerful season for most.  Times were good and the town and county looked like something from a Norman Rockwell painting.  Nostalgia was everywhere.  The people decorated with all the Christmas cheer that could be brought forth in this small town atmosphere.  All seemed right with the world, but something was wrong.

There was a family in town whose father had lost his job the week before Christmas and it being a small town word got around about the condition of the family.  He needed what money he had to keep a roof over their heads and the utilities paid.  There wasn’t enough to buy Christmas toys for the kids.  It was a time before food pantries and the such and no one really knew about the family in the quaint little neighborhood where they lived.

But all wasn’t lost that Christmas of 1975 as a young man whose parents knew of the problem decided to dip into his savings and do something really good for a family that year.  His problem was he couldn’t drive because he was an epileptic.  But he found a driver for the Christmas Eve run that year.  This young man had bought presents for boys and girls as the family had both.  He even bought a Christmas tree.  There was a ham and all the trimmings for the meal and something else a small stocking with a few dollars inside.  Then the run was made late on Christmas Eve and quietly the tree and gifts were placed on the porch with the ham on ice in a cooler with all the other food.  Then the special little stocking was placed on the screen door that read, “Merry Christmas from Santa.”  Then off the young man and his driver went to their homes for Christmas Eve.

The next morning to the surprise of the family a great Christmas for the family was to be had.  Toys for the children, new kitchen tools for the mother (blender, mixer, and coffee pot), the dad had a set of tools, a flashlight, and work gloves.  And in the special little stocking were $100.00 in one dollar bills.  And the ham and food made the day as the family had a Christmas from Santa. The parents cried and the kids squealed with joy.

They wondered who the special Santa was that cold Christmas Eve night in 1975, but no one ever came forward to admit to the special deed.  It was a special Christmas of Christian kindness to a family long ago in McDonough, Georgia where the people were special and always had wonder in their eyes.  I was glad to have known of the Christmas Eve ride of two young men who brought something special to a family in need.

Thank you and Merry Christmas to All and May God Bless,
Pastor Dr. Mike Moon
“Always remember no one is a failure as long as they have friends.”