The Christmas Star Team
Thirteen years ago, my friends and I decided to something extraordinary for Christmas. I had just graduated from high school (which now reveals my age... 31 for those who are math illiterate) and wanted to take part in the giving of the season tha tI had been so used to in high school. See, when I was in high school, I felt like my Christmas season was all about giving-- the show choir I was in performed over thirty times in half as many days (many performances to elementary children whose faces were aglow with the excitement of the season), there were annual school fundraisers and canned food drives, and I was continually helping with church youth service projects.
So... one week before Christmas in 1993, I found myself hanging out with my friends. Some of those friends had graduated with me and were feeling much of the same let down I was feeling from not being so active that year in giving. As we pondered what could be done to rekindle the glow of Christmas cheer, I thought about a co-worker of mine. This man (I'll call him "Tom") had just told me that very day that he would be glad when Christmas was over. In my naivete, I was incredulous that someone would actually be so "Scrooge-like" about the holiday and asked him why he felt that way. He responded that Christmas, in his opinion, was just a chance for kids to beg for things they didn't need and that he would just go broke getting his son what he'd wanted. I was also privy to the fact that "Tom" was a self-proclaimed atheist. To him there was no spiritual side to the holiday.
I told my friends about Tom and suggested that we take the time to bring Christmas cheer to him and his family. Our first task was to take some oranges, homemade chocolates, and candy canes to his front porch, ring the doorbell, and run. As we drove to his home, we discussed what to put on the note that we would include with the plate of goodies. We came up with some little saying, but were stuck with how to sign it. I had an affinity toward a local Christmas song that had debuted just a year or two previous. It spoke of the Wisemen following the Star of Bethlehem to find the Newborn King. One verse says "We're not alone, we have a star that shines today. The love that He gave teaches how and shows the way. The light is clear to see if we have faith and believe. Three kings found the Lord, and so can we." I thought this very fitting considering Tom seemed to be looking for something to brighten his holiday. That, and my fascination with the 1988 TV series "Mission:Impossible" lent itself to the birth of "The Christmas Star Team".
Each day of that week, we would peruse a local store looking for holiday decor and things to generally make the holiday brighter. My younger siblings even joined in the effort. Tom asked me about it one day. I'm not a very good fibber. I did my best to try hiding my knowledge of the "mission". He didn't pursue the matter, so I think I may have pulled it off.
I may never know the impact that the Christmas Star Team had on Tom and his family, but I'll never forget the impact it made on me. That was a year that I truly knew the joy from celebrating Christmas to its fullest. It is a year I have thought about often in the twelve Christmas seasons since.
I enlisted help for the CST only one time since. It was two years later when I was a missionary. My companion and I decided to do it for a family whom we had been teaching. Needless to say, it was obvious to them who was "secretly" bringing their surprises.
Each year, I commit to resurrecting the Christmas Star Team, and each year, I fail to do so. That's why I have decided to blog this. Not many have known of the Christmas Star Team-- it's been "our" little secret. So, with the relative anonymity of the "blogosphere", I'll send out the challenge- wherever you are, become a member of the Christmas Star Team. It doesn't take much... find a person or family who could use a bit more of the holiday spark and randomly do things for them this holiday. You don't always have to put something on their porch, but that might be a way to go. What ever you do, feel free to share your experiences with the two people who read this blog (who knows, you might just inspire someone else). And go ahead... leave a calling card-- From: The Christmas Star Team
So... one week before Christmas in 1993, I found myself hanging out with my friends. Some of those friends had graduated with me and were feeling much of the same let down I was feeling from not being so active that year in giving. As we pondered what could be done to rekindle the glow of Christmas cheer, I thought about a co-worker of mine. This man (I'll call him "Tom") had just told me that very day that he would be glad when Christmas was over. In my naivete, I was incredulous that someone would actually be so "Scrooge-like" about the holiday and asked him why he felt that way. He responded that Christmas, in his opinion, was just a chance for kids to beg for things they didn't need and that he would just go broke getting his son what he'd wanted. I was also privy to the fact that "Tom" was a self-proclaimed atheist. To him there was no spiritual side to the holiday.
I told my friends about Tom and suggested that we take the time to bring Christmas cheer to him and his family. Our first task was to take some oranges, homemade chocolates, and candy canes to his front porch, ring the doorbell, and run. As we drove to his home, we discussed what to put on the note that we would include with the plate of goodies. We came up with some little saying, but were stuck with how to sign it. I had an affinity toward a local Christmas song that had debuted just a year or two previous. It spoke of the Wisemen following the Star of Bethlehem to find the Newborn King. One verse says "We're not alone, we have a star that shines today. The love that He gave teaches how and shows the way. The light is clear to see if we have faith and believe. Three kings found the Lord, and so can we." I thought this very fitting considering Tom seemed to be looking for something to brighten his holiday. That, and my fascination with the 1988 TV series "Mission:Impossible" lent itself to the birth of "The Christmas Star Team".
Each day of that week, we would peruse a local store looking for holiday decor and things to generally make the holiday brighter. My younger siblings even joined in the effort. Tom asked me about it one day. I'm not a very good fibber. I did my best to try hiding my knowledge of the "mission". He didn't pursue the matter, so I think I may have pulled it off.
I may never know the impact that the Christmas Star Team had on Tom and his family, but I'll never forget the impact it made on me. That was a year that I truly knew the joy from celebrating Christmas to its fullest. It is a year I have thought about often in the twelve Christmas seasons since.
I enlisted help for the CST only one time since. It was two years later when I was a missionary. My companion and I decided to do it for a family whom we had been teaching. Needless to say, it was obvious to them who was "secretly" bringing their surprises.
Each year, I commit to resurrecting the Christmas Star Team, and each year, I fail to do so. That's why I have decided to blog this. Not many have known of the Christmas Star Team-- it's been "our" little secret. So, with the relative anonymity of the "blogosphere", I'll send out the challenge- wherever you are, become a member of the Christmas Star Team. It doesn't take much... find a person or family who could use a bit more of the holiday spark and randomly do things for them this holiday. You don't always have to put something on their porch, but that might be a way to go. What ever you do, feel free to share your experiences with the two people who read this blog (who knows, you might just inspire someone else). And go ahead... leave a calling card-- From: The Christmas Star Team
posted by Lancer at 10:04 AM
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