Today CJ and I stood in the cold 32 degree weather for an hour (which is a long time for a 3 yr old) ringing bells for the Salvation Army and it was AWESOME. This is not really something that I normally sign up to do since my thoughts have always been: it's cold, the kids will be hard to handle, dealing with the generally unhappy public, and asking for money. All items that have dissuaded me in the past.
But two days ago a friend was trying to recruit volunteers for the final days of the Christmas drive since the organizers were busy dealing with a family illness. Pulling at my heart strings, I graciously agreed to help and am so glad I did.
CJ was a natural. She rang the bell with the little sass that she is famous for and wished the shoppers a Merry Christmas with that cute squeaky voice. People who had given a dollar on the way into the store, came back to give more when they left because "she is just so cute." I loved wishing stone-faced shoppers a Merry Christmas and seeing them break into a smile and thank me or wish me one as well. It was a good feeling and brought cheer to the season that didn't need to be wrapped in pretty paper.
Getting into the car to head home for hot cocoa for a job well done, I asked what she thought about doing that. She said, "It was good. Now other kids can have money to have a Christmas." It really is just that simple.
I will definitely do this again and most definitely with CJ. CJ brings in the big bucks. People driving by stopped and handed her money out the window, grumpy-looking shoppers would fish in their wallets for fives and tens, women would be just smitten with her and give their spare change, and practically every man from 16 to 72 would stop and hand HER the dollar to put into the bucket. They just couldn't help themselves from handing her cash. But as Zack says, that better stop after she hands back the bell to the Salvation Army. HA!
Merry Christmas blog-readers and look for more updates over the Christmas holiday week!
jean
