Sequim Gazette Editorial and Letters to the Editor
Christmas spirit rises in Sequim
Published on Wed, Dec 2, 2009Read More Editorial
Editor's note: The New York Sun had Virginia O'Hanlon ask its editor in 1897, "Is there a Santa Claus?" The Sequim Gazette has Jill Carel of Sequim to answer that same question in 2009.
I am fortunate enough to be part of a local marimba band, JuanaMarimba, a group of nine incredible women who have met every Wednesday for the past 10 years to play music, have potluck dinner together, socialize and support each other. Occasionally, we play out in the community.
I also have a cousin, Joe, who is serving as an Army doctor in Afghanistan. He had communicated how heavily it was weighing on him, the troops and the patients to be so far from home during the holidays.
It's dry, hot, dusty and smelly, he said, not much to remind them of the wonderful sights, sounds and smells of Christmas.
Our family had fixed up a box of Christmas treats to send him and one of the gals in the group noticed and asked about it. It was decided that the next Wednesday everyone would bring something and we would send a box for my cousin to distribute among those in his unit who might not get shipments from home during the holidays.
Gifts grow and grow
So last Wednesday (Nov. 18), the gals showed up at my house. As they came through the door, my mouth dropped open farther and farther and my tears just kept surfacing. Each person came loaded with wonderful items to share with those so far away, lonely and separated from their family and friends.
People had told their friends what they were going to do and friends showed up also. A neighbor came by and joined the fun. Piles of small Christmas stockings to fill, Christmas ornaments, hats, wreaths and decorations, candy canes, coffee (Joe had said the coffee there is like stirred mud), razors, shampoos, nuts, jelly beans, beef jerky, movies, books, magazines, puzzles, games, homemade cookies - it just went on and on!
One gal came through the door with her huge KitchenAid mixer filled with cookie dough and baked the cookies right then! One woman wrote an incredible poem for the troops and we put multiple copies in each box.
Somebody made a banner (Merry Christmas! We love you!) and we gathered together, held it up and took a picture, which we also included in the boxes.
Cards and pictures
Somebody brought a few boxes of Christmas cards and everyone signed each one and included a sentiment of gratitude, support and love. People brought their kids and they piled around a table and made homemade cards, drew pictures, decorated the envelopes of all the cards.
We stuffed boxes, laughed, cried and shared a form of community that I have rarely seen in my life.
When all was said and done, we had completely filled 13 boxes full of Christmas goodies, joy and love.
The boxes were shipped, the house cleaned, but the fullest of all were our hearts. The joy of sharing and participating in such a loving and giving event spilled over into continuous e-mails of how wonderful it was to get to do something for those who are sacrificing so much.
We thought you might want to share this because other people might want to do something similar. It brought back the joy of the Christmas to us all and we can't wait to hear that the packages arrived.
JuanaMarimba performs in the greater Sequim/Port Angeles area several times a year at events such as the Irrigation Festival, Lavender Festival and Open Aire Market, plus a few private parties.
I am fortunate enough to be part of a local marimba band, JuanaMarimba, a group of nine incredible women who have met every Wednesday for the past 10 years to play music, have potluck dinner together, socialize and support each other. Occasionally, we play out in the community.
I also have a cousin, Joe, who is serving as an Army doctor in Afghanistan. He had communicated how heavily it was weighing on him, the troops and the patients to be so far from home during the holidays.
It's dry, hot, dusty and smelly, he said, not much to remind them of the wonderful sights, sounds and smells of Christmas.
Our family had fixed up a box of Christmas treats to send him and one of the gals in the group noticed and asked about it. It was decided that the next Wednesday everyone would bring something and we would send a box for my cousin to distribute among those in his unit who might not get shipments from home during the holidays.
Gifts grow and grow
So last Wednesday (Nov. 18), the gals showed up at my house. As they came through the door, my mouth dropped open farther and farther and my tears just kept surfacing. Each person came loaded with wonderful items to share with those so far away, lonely and separated from their family and friends.
People had told their friends what they were going to do and friends showed up also. A neighbor came by and joined the fun. Piles of small Christmas stockings to fill, Christmas ornaments, hats, wreaths and decorations, candy canes, coffee (Joe had said the coffee there is like stirred mud), razors, shampoos, nuts, jelly beans, beef jerky, movies, books, magazines, puzzles, games, homemade cookies - it just went on and on!
One gal came through the door with her huge KitchenAid mixer filled with cookie dough and baked the cookies right then! One woman wrote an incredible poem for the troops and we put multiple copies in each box.
Somebody made a banner (Merry Christmas! We love you!) and we gathered together, held it up and took a picture, which we also included in the boxes.
Cards and pictures
Somebody brought a few boxes of Christmas cards and everyone signed each one and included a sentiment of gratitude, support and love. People brought their kids and they piled around a table and made homemade cards, drew pictures, decorated the envelopes of all the cards.
We stuffed boxes, laughed, cried and shared a form of community that I have rarely seen in my life.
When all was said and done, we had completely filled 13 boxes full of Christmas goodies, joy and love.
The boxes were shipped, the house cleaned, but the fullest of all were our hearts. The joy of sharing and participating in such a loving and giving event spilled over into continuous e-mails of how wonderful it was to get to do something for those who are sacrificing so much.
We thought you might want to share this because other people might want to do something similar. It brought back the joy of the Christmas to us all and we can't wait to hear that the packages arrived.
JuanaMarimba performs in the greater Sequim/Port Angeles area several times a year at events such as the Irrigation Festival, Lavender Festival and Open Aire Market, plus a few private parties.
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