Time for a Cuppa!

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Have a Cuppa! with Mike

And the greatest gift is love
By
Katherine Chandler

One Christmas, many years ago, I was given a special gift from my oldest daughter Teresa. She was four years old and had insisted on wrapping my gift all by herself. As we opened all our gifts, she sat patiently waiting for her turn to give me my gift. She had been so secretive about this gift that no one knew what was in the specially wrapped box with a gift tag that read, 'To Mommy from Teri with love'.
~*~
The box was wrapped in red foil paper with a big white bow in the centre. It was a fairly good sized box and I was thinking whatever was inside must have been something she had made in school for me. She had said she wanted me to open her gift after all of the other gifts had been opened. I joked with her saying I didn't know if I could wait that long because I was so excited about her gift and what was in the beautifully wrapped box.
~*~
I still remember her sitting beside me in her red flannel nightgown with this big beautiful smile on her face. I don't know who was more excited, Teri, or me. I had no idea at the time that the contents of this box would end up being the most treasured gift I would ever receive from this curly haired, dimpled child of mine. She was always such a creative child; I knew whatever was in this box I would be pleased with, no matter what it was.
~*~
The time had come, all the other gifts had been opened and Teri's gift was the only gift left for me to open. I carefully lifted the box off the floor, feeling the weight of it for the first time. It was so light I could not imagine what the gift could be. I carefully removed the ribbon and then the red foil paper. The lid was taped down, so I then removed the tape and proceeded to lift the lid from the box. As I did this I smiled at her and her eyes were just sparkling. She smiled watching me and I smiled back as I caught a glimpse of her dimples.
~*~
As the lid was in one hand I noticed a great deal of tissue paper in the box. It was green and red and as I picked this tissue paper from the box I still couldn't see the gift. When all of the tissue paper was gone I realized there was nothing in the box. Or so I thought. I quickly composed myself and said quietly to my daughter, 'Teri honey, I don't see anything in the box.' With that she had big tears in her eyes and said, 'Mommy, don't you see it? I put all my love for you in this big box because that's how much I love you.'
~*~
I had to act quickly, but what could I say to repair the damage I'd caused by not understanding how truly great this special gift was. I suddenly smiled and looked at her and said, 'Oh my goodness honey, I see it now, I was so excited I forgot to look more carefully.' She was absolutely thrilled by my response and gave me the biggest hug. I held her in my arms for the longest time as tears ran down my face. She wanted to know why I was crying, had her gift made me sad? I was so touched by this child's desire to please me that my tears were tears of joy.
~*~
As Christmas Day was nearly over, I was reflecting on the day's events and how a small child could make Christmas so very special for her mother. There hasn't been a Christmas Day since where I haven't remembered this gift of love from my first born daughter. Each year when I open my gifts from family and friends, there has never been another gift that has meant as much to me as Teri's gift that Christmas so many years ago. I learned what Christmas is really about that year. The gift of love is the most precious gift.

Note: No part of this story can be reproduced in any way without the author's written permission. All rights remain with the author.

Other Christmas stories

And the greatest gift is love By Katherine Chandler

Trees By Jim McConnell

Christmas on the farm

Not long now By Jim McConnell

You can give it away By Miriam Capps

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My novels can be seen at

http://www.btinternet.com/~mikeco158/onetear1.htm

http://www.btinternet.com/~mikeco158/cuppa1.htm

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