- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635170349,00.html
Family gives up own gifts to help others
By Nancy H. Bailey
The year is 1965. I was only 7 years old. My dad, Clarence Holbrook, ran a plumbing company in Bountiful. It was Christmas Eve and my dad was going to close his shop up by noon so he could spend Christmas Eve with his family.
He made one last work call to an apartment that had a leaky tub. When he entered the apartment it was bare. There was hardly any furniture, not even a Christmas tree or presents.
Now as my dad went to work, the two little children, a boy and a girl, followed him around, totally engrossed by his curious job. So my dad started to ask them questions about Christmas and if they were ready.
The children's reply stunned my father. The children said, "Santa's not coming this year 'cause our father is in the hospital and we have no money."
My dad's heart broke, but at that same instant he started to make plans to help this family have a Christmas.
To fix the leaking tub, my dad had to cut a hole in the wall to get to the tub fixtures. This hole needed to be cut through the mother's closet, and all that hung in that closet were two dresses. My dad quickly checked for a dress size.
He then finished his work and headed home. Upon his return home that afternoon, he held a family meeting. He told us of this family having no Christmas and asked for our help with his plan. We were all very touched and excited to become involved in this secret journey.
Now, my family was not rich by any means, so to help this family we would have to make a sacrifice. We would have to give up our already-wrapped Christmas presents.
The gifts I gave up would have been my very first Barbie doll. My mother, Mary (who is a talented seamstress), had made a variety of doll clothing for Barbie. My sister and my two older brothers also made the same sacrifice of their wrapped presents.
My mother went shopping with the last little bit of Christmas money we had and purchased all the makings for a Christmas feast. She then purchased two new dresses for the mother.
My parents had a friend in our LDS stake, Jay David Call. He would dress up as Santa Claus for ward and family parties. My dad asked Mr. Call if he would be willing to dress up again one last time for that year and help us with our Christmas family. He said, "Of course." On his own, Mr. Call came up with a Christmas tree and all the trimmings. He packed everything up and headed over to our Christmas family.
Back at home our family waited with great anticipation to hear back from Santa on how our Christmas family reacted to a real Santa delivering Christmas.
The words were priceless to us as Mr. Call reported back to us on the family's reaction. The mother could not stop crying, and she could not figure out who could have done this for them.
Our family was never sad that we gave up a Christmas. We were too excited that we gave a Christmas to someone who would not have had a Christmas.
Under my dad's direction we, for many years, have secretly helped others so they could have a Christmas.
My father has been battling multiple myeloma (bone cancer) for the past four years. In July of this year at the age of 74 he had a successful bone marrow transplant. He has been tireless at serving others all his life, even when he has been at his weakest. He does his best to be Santa all year long.
But to this day when, as a family, we recall the Christmas of 1965, there still is never a dry eye.
Nancy H. Bailey
About the author
Nancy H. Bailey is a stay-at-home mom and grandmother. She married Russell Bailey 27 years go. They have five children, two grandsons and one granddaughter with another on the way. She grew up in Centerville and now lives in South Jordan. Her hobbies are camping, hiking, family gatherings and family vacations.
Family gives up own gifts to help others
By Nancy H. Bailey
The year is 1965. I was only 7 years old. My dad, Clarence Holbrook, ran a plumbing company in Bountiful. It was Christmas Eve and my dad was going to close his shop up by noon so he could spend Christmas Eve with his family.
He made one last work call to an apartment that had a leaky tub. When he entered the apartment it was bare. There was hardly any furniture, not even a Christmas tree or presents.
Now as my dad went to work, the two little children, a boy and a girl, followed him around, totally engrossed by his curious job. So my dad started to ask them questions about Christmas and if they were ready.
The children's reply stunned my father. The children said, "Santa's not coming this year 'cause our father is in the hospital and we have no money."
My dad's heart broke, but at that same instant he started to make plans to help this family have a Christmas.
To fix the leaking tub, my dad had to cut a hole in the wall to get to the tub fixtures. This hole needed to be cut through the mother's closet, and all that hung in that closet were two dresses. My dad quickly checked for a dress size.
He then finished his work and headed home. Upon his return home that afternoon, he held a family meeting. He told us of this family having no Christmas and asked for our help with his plan. We were all very touched and excited to become involved in this secret journey.
Now, my family was not rich by any means, so to help this family we would have to make a sacrifice. We would have to give up our already-wrapped Christmas presents.
The gifts I gave up would have been my very first Barbie doll. My mother, Mary (who is a talented seamstress), had made a variety of doll clothing for Barbie. My sister and my two older brothers also made the same sacrifice of their wrapped presents.
My mother went shopping with the last little bit of Christmas money we had and purchased all the makings for a Christmas feast. She then purchased two new dresses for the mother.
My parents had a friend in our LDS stake, Jay David Call. He would dress up as Santa Claus for ward and family parties. My dad asked Mr. Call if he would be willing to dress up again one last time for that year and help us with our Christmas family. He said, "Of course." On his own, Mr. Call came up with a Christmas tree and all the trimmings. He packed everything up and headed over to our Christmas family.
Back at home our family waited with great anticipation to hear back from Santa on how our Christmas family reacted to a real Santa delivering Christmas.
The words were priceless to us as Mr. Call reported back to us on the family's reaction. The mother could not stop crying, and she could not figure out who could have done this for them.
Our family was never sad that we gave up a Christmas. We were too excited that we gave a Christmas to someone who would not have had a Christmas.
Under my dad's direction we, for many years, have secretly helped others so they could have a Christmas.
My father has been battling multiple myeloma (bone cancer) for the past four years. In July of this year at the age of 74 he had a successful bone marrow transplant. He has been tireless at serving others all his life, even when he has been at his weakest. He does his best to be Santa all year long.
But to this day when, as a family, we recall the Christmas of 1965, there still is never a dry eye.
Nancy H. Bailey
About the author
Nancy H. Bailey is a stay-at-home mom and grandmother. She married Russell Bailey 27 years go. They have five children, two grandsons and one granddaughter with another on the way. She grew up in Centerville and now lives in South Jordan. Her hobbies are camping, hiking, family gatherings and family vacations.
