Christmas Knock and Run

As a family, we have made it a bit of a tradition that at Christmas time we do a secret Santa with a little bit of a twist.

Often it will be that we have heard of someone in the community that is going through a rough patch or hard time. Maybe they are currently unemployed, or they are going through some sort of sickness in the family or the loss of a loved one.

The main thing is that it is someone who could be in need of an emotional lift in some kind of way just to let them know that there are still people out there that care about them.

We get the kids involved in our little Secret Santa thing by asking first if they know of any families or individuals who are going through some hardships. They will tell us of some and we will talk about it. We will then make a decision as to who the family or individual is.

Once we have decided on a target we think of some of the things that they will need and want. We go out and buy food and gifts that we hope that they will like, wrap them and get everything ready for the drop-off.

We will drive around past the house to see if anyone is home (almost a bit like a stalker). If no one is home we come back later and try again. If they are home we take the packages up and put it on the front doorstep.

Because my kids are young I get them to start leaving and then once they have had enough time to get out of site, I ring the bell and knock on the door and run like crazy with the goal of not getting caught. It puts a nicer spin to the term knock and run.

The feeling is amazing. The adrenalin is pumping, your heart is pounding, your mind is racing all in the hopes that you can do this and not get caught.

Recently we went out to do this fun family activity. We got home and found on our own doorstep boxes of gifts and bags of food for our family. What a joy it was to our family to think that some cared and loved us enough to take the time for us.

This was the first time we were on the receiving end of such a selfless act and gave us a little example of how these other people might have felt.

I just wish more people would act a little more selflessly in this beautiful world. If people chose to live thinking of others at the same time the world would be even more beautiful than it already is. – Leo Willcocks