Our Holiday Tradition

Our assumption is that anyone shopping in Goodwill just before Christmas is in need. My sister and I went to Goodwill during the Holiday season and purchased gift certificates in $10 denominations. They still hand write them so we had time to share previously purchased gifts with the staff as we waited. Then we randomly handed out the certificates.

There was the woman who needed a warm coat (it was 22 degrees out). The young couple who was trying to decide between two dresses – the man whispered his thanks as he said he could now buy both of them for her. The man who knelt looking at something on the bottom shelf as I joined him, teared up as he threw his arms around me and found me a bit later for “one more hug”. The story from the cashier about the tearful mother who was able to buy her son some snow pants.

These and other stories were profoundly humbling. The $200 that day cost could never have bought anything that would have produced such warmth, gratitude and love as that experience did. This is our Holiday tradition. – Debbie

* The image above is available as a magnet on our Etsy store which helps us support disadvantaged families.