With Angelic Host Proclaim . . .

The Random digital camera’s battery ran out on Sunday morning, much to my great dismay, so I did not get pictures of all of the wonderful, uplifting events that I participated in yesterday. I just feel the need to prove that I am NOT a cranky, gloomy Gus all of the time . . .

Yesterday morning, our church held its first annual children’s Christmas pageant, which was of course incredibly adorable with the under 5’s all decked out as angels in white pillowcases and glittered gold halos with paper wings. The only under 5 boy was decked out in a pretty authentic-looking shepherd costume. The older children served as the Wise Men, and various parents served as Joseph, Mary and King Herod (with a doll as the baby in the manger.) How can anyone’s heart not melt at the sight of little kids that you are watching grow up practically before your eyes, decked out in cute little costumes and trying to sing and dance in unison. I dare you not to go “Awwwwwww.”

After church, Mr. Random and I went to Target to get gifts for a 10 year old boy. The Random Non-Profit has had a long relationship with an elementary school in our area that has a large low income population, and each year we buy gifts for many children at the school who would not otherwise get anything. Mr. Random and I went a little wacky buying stuff for our kid, but it was so much fun to pick clothes and toys out. We don’t get any names for the kids - just how old they are, their sizes, and what type of topics they are interested in (like books, sports, etc). I hope some little kid is super-happy on Christmas day . . .

Then we had lunch and we went on to the National Cathedral Choir concert. Our cheap seats were in the back off to the side, so we did not hear or see as well as those people sitting in the main hall or up in the balconies. Mental note for next year: get tickets earlier and set aside enough money to buy decent seats. The organ music was all I had hoped it would be though – hearing a rendition of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” bouncing off of the high ceilings and the amazing stained glass windows, was just as heavenly as music can get . . .

Afterwards, we stopped by the Politics and Prose bookstore to get some gifts for my parents and Mr. Random’s Mom. We then tried to go to Café Deluxe or 2Amys for dinner, but at 2Amys there was just a crowd waiting outside to get in, and at Café Deluxe the wait was 45 minutes. We weren’t that eager to eat there, so we ended up at a restaurant in Shirlington eating salads and sweet potato fries . . .

When we got home, it was 9 PM, so I searched the closet for the wrapping paper and worked on wrapping all of the presents we bought for the little boy. After then giving a cursory glance at the Sunday papers, I went to bed totally exhausted. Mr. Random stayed up watching the Cartoon Network, as usual . . .

Volunteers from the school came by the office today to pick up all of the toys. The packages were collected in my office since I was right by the door, and I helped the volunteer lady and her little girl load all of the boxes and bags into her mini-van. It felt so wonderful that we were able to provide so may gifts and donations to the school – I’m just on a happy buzz of giving: I LOVE doing cool stuff like this that will make people happy . . . I only wish I had the money to do more, but I know that every little bit helps . . .

This is the whole point of the Holiday season, I think . . . which is why I love this time of year best of all, since so many more people join in to give to others . . .