The Christmas Gift

Christmas gifts come in all shapes, sizes, and costs.  Many Americans spend a great deal of time and money to choose the perfect gifts for those we love.  My husband and I don't shop with our children much throughout the year, and we don't buy them new clothes unless they need something, so at Christmas we tend to try to make up for that.  We have been very fortunate to be able to buy what they want - within reason.  We are practical, so we don't just buy anything that they want, but we try to honor reasonable requests.  Over the years we have purchased and received a wide variety of gifts for Christmas.  For me, one gift will always stand out.

Several years ago, I would guess 15, I received a surprise for Christmas.  To most gift recipients, that might not be unusual, but because I have always been a 'snooper' (my brother taught me this skill at a young age - probably so that I wouldn't tell on him for snooping!), so surprises at Christmas have been rare.  I have been known to sink as low as to tricking my girls into telling me what they bought or made me.  I know, it's bad.  When I was a teenager, my mother thought she had outsmarted me when she locked my gifts in her cedar chest.  I knew where the key was.  I am also skilled at unwrapping the end of a box and looking inside, and rewrapping it so that no one is the wiser.  Is there a support group for this?

So, who actually surprised me?  My grandmother!  Both of my grandmothers were excellent cooks, a trait that I failed to inherit.  My Grandma Greenland wrote few of her recipes down, and when she did, she seemed to forget to write down all of the necessary ingredients.  Grandma Allen wrote them down.  And she surprised eight out of her nine grandchildren with her compilation.  The ninth was involved in her plan.  Grandma spent a year writing out her recipes, and sending them to my cousin Mike in Chicago.  He typed out all of the recipes, and then bound them into a cookbook.  None of us had any idea that Grandma and Mike were working on an elaborate project for the grandkids.   That Christmas I received the best present that I have ever received, and each year it becomes more valuable.  This gift had no monetary value, yet it is priceless.

Grandma died eight years ago.  Each holiday I pull out Grandma's cookbook.  I haven't made everything in the book; I have my favorites.  Using this cookbook as I am baking reminds me of the time I spent enjoying Grandma's treats.  My favorite, and the favorite of most of my cousins, is eclairs.  I learned to make them several years ago, and I make them for most holidays and any other important gathering.  One year I tried to alter the recipe, but my daughters quickly scolded me for changing things up.  My other favorite is peanut blossoms - peanut butter cookies with Hershey Kisses on top.  I know that I can find the recipe for these cookies in most any cookbook, but using Grandma's cookbook makes baking those cookies special.  I think of her every time I use her book.  I wouldn't sell my book for any amount of money.  Every so often I have a 'when I die' conversation with my kids.  Picture their eyes rolling!  I want to let them know what items in our home they need to keep should something happen to me.  Grandma's cookbook is on that list.  I hope that the book can hold up so that my girls can use it when baking with their children. 

I have found that the things I value most are those that were given out of love.  I have quilts and afghans from my grandmothers, furniture made by my great-grandfather, a table made by my father-in-law, and many other antiques passed down from both my family and my husband's family.  None of it would bring a high price at auction, but we would sell none of it.  Our hope is that our children will also find value in family heirlooms.  I hope that I can give meaningful gifts to our children and grandchildren.  My grandma never had much money.  She made her own clothes, saved greeting cards for us to play with at her home, never owned a home, and remained very frugal throughout her life.  Despite all of that, she gave us the most valueable gift that I have ever received:  she took the time to pass down recipes that sustained her and her family.  She put her love, knowledge, and even humor into this project.  Thanks, Gram!  You gave me a gift that I will always treasure - and taught me that a gift's value isn't in how much is spent, but in how much thought and love goes into it!

Merry Christmas, Friends!