Getting into the Holiday Spirit

In previous years The Airmen's Food Pantry has gathered volunteers together to make a homemade meal for the families in billeting at the two bases in our community due to a PCS. Last year my predecessor set up the volunteers and then went on vacation, leaving my current partner and me to pull it together. It worked very well, but not without many a night of lost sleep and lost freezer space on my part because I freaked and HAD to make 8 more pasta dishes to go along with the 60 dozen cookies I baked. Some might call me worrisome and compulsive.

This year we decided that to do it how it has been done in the past would be too much. It was decided that the easiest route to go would be to purchase meals in a box and gift certificates from the commissary, and then solicit for volunteers to make baked goods.

First we solicit for the baking volunteers. I have to admit that I envisioned myself covered in flour and sugar because we couldn’t get anybody to bake because they had already been tasked to bake for other organizations on base. Imagine if you had helped to bake the 1000 dozen of cookies given to the single airmen, and then receive a phone call or email from the food pantry asking for more cookies. Honestly had it been me, they would have locked me in a padded room for fear that I may flour myself and then decorate my face with colored sugar. Much to my surprise the volunteers came out of the woodwork to make cookies. I should never underestimate the generosity of the military community because time and time again the people have come running when the pantry has whimpered for help. I am truly grateful for all the many volunteers that make the pantry run smoothly, without them we would be lost!

Next it is off to the commissary we go to purchase those meals in a box. You know the one. It has everything including the meat in the box to make a hot meal. I can not attest to the tastiness of one of these meals, but do know that after about a week of living in a hotel and eating out for all your meals, cardboard boxes begin to look pretty darn tasty and even look like they might be easier on your system than the fast food you have been eating. They didn’t have a whole lot on their shelf, and to take them all would deplete them of their stock. We inquired about buying cases of them, and were told that all they had was what was on the shelf. All sense of guilt vanished and we loaded our carts.

Today the cookies came pouring in from the volunteers. As they poured in I couldn’t find the right words to express my sincere gratitude, and “Thank you” just didn’t seem like enough. That was all I had to offer them.

We loaded 47 bags with the meals, a can of vegetables, gift certificate from the commissary, and at least a dozen of homemade cookies. Then we wondered if there was something more the pantry could give these families that would be spending the holidays in a hotel. We decided to give these families some of the large donation we had recently received, so in addition these families received Hot Cocoa, salad dressing, ramen, chips, jell-o, and pudding.

As the cookies continued to pour in it became obvious that we would get more than we needed. So we doubled up on cookies for all 47 bags! When it was all said and done we had given all the families 2 dozen cookies, AND had enough left over for the cop shack and SP’s at both gates at our base, the three gates at a neighboring base, and the ER!

Once we had all the bags loaded into our cars we began to deliver them to the families. One of the first ladies that answered her door was so overcome with emotion that she cried and gave me a big hug. In that instant I felt the spark of the holiday season that I thought had died within me. Then with each family we made contact with the spark grew in to a small flame. Several of the families were not in their rooms when we went to deliver to them, so the hotels had a chaperone with us that opened the door so that we could set the bag on the inside. How I wish I could be there to see the joy in the eyes of these families when they discover their surprise.

Somehow I manage to get caught up in the commercialism and hustle bustle of the holiday season. Every time this happens, I find myself losing the flame of holiday spirit within me. Then I have to settle down, refocus and realize the real reason we celebrate this time of year.

We celebrate not the decorations, sweets, or gifts under the tree, but rather the birth of our Savior. I am not usually one to make New Year’s resolutions, as I am usually one to break them on January 2nd. However, this year I am going to resolve to putting my priorities straight, remembering that Jesus Christ has given me much to be grateful for.