December 2010
Dear ,
HI! It’s that time of
year when I again take the opportunity to write to each of my
great-grandchildren with a Christmas greeting and an expression of my love for
you. I do love each and every one of
you, and would feel blessed to see you each day, but that is impossible, so
this letter must suffice. Nevertheless,
it comes with my affection and concern for you.
You are my cherished great-grandchildren and I hope at this
best of all seasons that you are well, happy, and healthy. I have been having a few health problems, but
I’m still “up-and-around” and think I’m doing better. I want you to know that I am very, very
grateful for the many, many blessings I receive every day. Heavenly Father has been and is very good to
me. One of those blessings, perhaps my
greatest blessing, is my family who help to care for me and visit me and love
me. And that includes you. Thank you for your visits and help and
concern.
I so wish I could send you a big gift, wrapped in pretty
paper and a big bow. (You know, it was
one of my great joys to wrap beautiful presents to put under the tree. I was very good at it. Did you know that to wrap those presents I
had used paper and used ribbon. Still I
would take time to make every box as pretty as it could be.) But I cannot, so
my gift to you is a story and the assurance of my love. This will help you know Grandpa and me and
help you know about your own family history.
When I was very young, maybe four or five, I sat down to
write my Christmas gift list to Santa Claus.
When I was finished (I suppose there was every wish a little girl could
think of on it) I showed it to my mother.
Her comment was, “My, that’s a lot of things for one little girl. You know Santa has lots and lots of girls and
boys to give presents to.” I was a
little discouraged, but she said that we would send it anyway. She took the letter and said she would mail
it for me. I spent the rest of the time
until Christmas worrying whether I would get all the things I had asked for,
and, if not, which I would receive. It
was exciting and worrisome all at the same time. Guess what?!
As always Santa was his usual wonderful, loving, unselfish, miraculous
self! When I awoke on Christmas morning,
I found under the tree a beautiful table, a cupboard, dishes and silverware
(little girl size), and a doll who could open and shut her eyes and had “real”
hair. It was everything any little girl could
possibly wish for and it swelled my heart with happiness. Brenda’s family has that cupboard to this
day, and Diana’s family has what is left of the dishes and silverware, for they
were china dishes and real metal silverware.
Now I will tell you a story from
Grandpa’s youth. His mother and father
and the ten children lived in the very same house I live in now and where
Grandpa and I spent essentially our whole
married lives. It was the Great Depression and almost everyone
was very poor. Grandpa’s family was also
very poor. They were lucky because they
did have enough to eat since they lived on a farm. But Christmas presents were out of the
question. Your grandpa, Dean, and his
closest brother, Dale were young boys.
They wanted a sled for playing in the snow. I’m sure they asked for it, but I am just as
sure their parents, Phil and Josie, knew they could never provide it. Christmas morning arrived and the boys came
down the stairs to find under the tree a brand new Radio Flyer sled. Only one, to share. Thrilled, they grabbed that sled and headed
for the big hill on the north, the one we call Turpin’s Hill. I’m sure they never thought at the time where
that sled had come from, but they did later and it was a sweet and tender
memory all of their lives. Their big
sister, LuRee had bought that sled for them.
She was teaching school at the time and had a little money so she was
Santa Clause that year. Both Grandpa and
his brother Dale loved that sled and LuRee for caring about them so much.
The spirit of Santa Clause is the spirit of love that comes
from every child, every adult, every person who loves others and tries to make
another’s life happier. That love is
light and that light comes from our Heavenly Father who loves us and wants us
to love and help each other. My wish is
that all year long, but especially at this time of year when we celebrate the
birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, each of us will remember that Christmas is
truly about LOVE. Let’s spread that love
around. Let’s keep Christ in Christmas
and in our lives this year.
I love you! Merry
Christmas!!
Great-Grandma Bateman
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