Diana's Christmas
It was December in the Ozarks and a skiff of snow was on the ground. I was
busily baking cookies and sprinkling some Christmas colored sprinkles on top of
them when I heard the sound of the school bus pulling away on the gravel road in
front of the house. My nine-year-old daughter, Julie, came bounding through the
front door and as usual, she was hungry. There's something about being in school
all day that works up a good appetite. I handed her a couple of cookies and
poured her a glass of milk. Her preschool sister and brother joined her for a
snack and as we sat around the table, Julie eyed her Christmas cookie, examining
each side of it, and then she said, matter-of-factly, "Diana isn't having
Christmas."
"Who is Diana?" I asked.
"She rides the school bus and sits by me sometimes and when I asked her what she
wanted for Christmas she said she wasn't having any Christmas." Julie repeated
once more.
She continued, "Diana has pretty red hair but I think she forgets to brush her
hair and the other kids don't sit by her. I think it's because she's different."
I questioned my daughter about Diana and her family and where she lived but
Julie didn't know very much. She only knew there were other children in the
family and that they got off the bus along the road where there wasn't a house.
All evening I was plagued by thoughts of a little red headed girl who "forgets
to brush her hair and wasn't having Christmas" as Julie had described her.
The next morning after Julie had left for school, Diana was still on my mind. We
had only lived in the area for a short time but I knew that the principal knew
everyone in the community so I picked up the phone and called the grade school
principal. I asked him if he knew of a little red headed girl named Diana who
rode Julie's bus. "Yes, she's one of the Martin kids, lives off the main road a
little ways. Why, is there a problem?" he asked.
I explained to him what Julie had said and I asked him if he thought they might
be a family that needed some help this Christmas. The principal told me that the
Martin family probably did need assistance and he seemed glad that someone had
thought of it. I told him that our family would personally do something and that
I would also give their name to the Christian mission in town that always helped
others at Christmas time.
That day I found a big box and later that night we all discussed what should go
into the box for the Martin family. It was just a few days until Christmas and
we began working to wrap gifts and fill the box. Jeanna chose some toys and
games that were age appropriate along with a cuddly stuffed teddy bear for one
of the younger children. Even Jeremy, who was just a toddler, watched what was
going on and then ran to his own little box of toys and began throwing some of
them into the box. I began cooking and baking what I could in advance to go in a
separate box of food items that would make up a traditional Christmas dinner. I
asked Julie if she would like to add something special to the box that would be
for Diana.
"Can we get her a pretty hat with gloves to match? Julie asked. "We could get
green like Diana's eyes!"
"Green it is!" I announced as we made our purchases and finished up the box.
The next day was Christmas Eve and after work my husband, Mike, loaded the boxes
into our van. We had gotten directions from the principal and we were all
putting our coats on to leave when Julie said, "Mommy, I don't want to go."
"Well, why not?" I asked. "Don't you want to take the gifts to Diana?"
"Maybe Diana might hide her face." Julie said with a worried look.
I knew what Julie was feeling. She was concerned that because Diana knew her
that she might somehow by shy or uncomfortable knowing that Julie had "told"
about there not being any Christmas for Diana.
Although I didn't think there would be a problem, I told Julie she didn't have
to go along.
We drove up an old dirt road and found a little house in a clearing in the
woods. Mike got out and went to the door while I stayed in the van with the
baby. A couple of very friendly dogs met him as he got out and then a man came
to the door. As Mr. Martin stood at the door a small child peeked around the
door jam and waved at me. Mike talked a moment and then handed him the packages.
When he turned to leave, Mr. Martin said something else and then shook Mike's
hand.
We enjoyed Christmas a little more than usual that year and learned that it is
truly more blessed to give than to receive.
When school started again after Christmas break, I heard that familiar sound of
the bus outside once more as Julie came bursting through the door with a huge
smile on her face. She stopped right in front of me and said, "Mommy, Diana
knows!"
"Knows what?" I asked.
"She knows I told." Julie replied.
"Mommy, Diana was wearing the green hat and gloves today. When I got on the bus
she hugged me and then she said, "Julie, we did have Christmas!"
Pamela R. Blaine Copyright 2004
pamyblaine@blaines.us
Pamela and her husband live in Missouri. They have 4 children and 5
grandchildren. She writes "Pam's Corner" for the local newspaper and many
stories have been published on the internet as well as in several books. She
said, "One of my goals is to be able to write for my children and grandchildren
so special memories will not be forgotten." Pamela has recently made a new CD
entitled "I'll Walk You Home." If you would like one, they are available by
freewill donation. More information as well as a clip from the CD is on the
website at:
www.blaines.us/PamyPlace.htm