You have never seen the like of me before?

(Derek sitting in for Katherine on this one)
A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens is one of our family’s best-loved Christmas stories. There is a movie rendition of this story that stars Patrick Stewart as Ebenezer Scrooge, and it is our favorite to watch during the Christmas season (although the younger kids tend to like the Muppet one just as much). In fact, we like it so much that sometimes we’ll watch it even though it isn’t anywhere near Christmas time.

The visit of the Ghost of Christmas Present to Scrooge is one of my favorite parts of the movie. The reason why I like this part of the movie has to do with a number of things, but especially the insights provided to Scrooge and the viewer of how powerful a bit of Christmas cheer (as seen by the silver sprinkles from the torch of the Spirit of Christmas Present) can be!

The time the two spend together consists of blessing the lives of many in the present; not one of the recipients is aware of the one bestowing the blessing on them, but nonetheless the blessing is received, lives are enriched, and hearts are turned towards Christ.

"And perhaps it was the pleasure the good Spirit had in showing off this power of his, or else it was his own kind, generous, hearty nature, and his sympathy with all poor men, that led him straight to Scrooge’s clerk’s; for there he went, and took Scrooge with him, holding to his robe; and on the threshold of the door the Spirit smiled, and stopped to bless Bob Cratchit’s dwelling with the sprinkling of his torch. Think of that! Bob had but fifteen “Bob” a-week himself; he pocketed on Saturdays but fifteen copies of his Christian name; and yet the Ghost of Christmas Present blessed his four-roomed house!"

...

At last the dinner was all done, the cloth was cleared, the hearth swept, and the fire made up. The compound in the jug being tasted, and considered perfect, apples and oranges were put upon the table, and a shovel-full of chestnuts on the fire. Then all the Cratchit family drew round the hearth, in what Bob Cratchit called a circle, meaning half a one; and at Bob Cratchit’s elbow stood the family display of glass. Two tumblers, and a custard-cup without a handle.

These held the hot stuff from the jug, however, as well as golden goblets would have done; and Bob served it out with beaming looks, while the chestnuts on the fire sputtered and cracked noisily. Then Bob proposed:

“A Merry Christmas to us all, my dears. God bless us!”

Which all the family re-echoed.

“God bless us every one!” said Tiny Tim, the last of all.

In a similar way, this year we were blessed so very VERY much by many unknown hands; Spirits of Christmas Present who dropped off goodies, games, notes of encouragement and assurances of prayers, and GIFTS! Every one of these blessings touched our hearts, cracked our emotional resolve, and even brought a smile to our daughter’s chemotherapy-induced-stoic face. Even now, as I write this a week later, my eyes water up a bit thinking of how much these gifts helped ignite and stoke faith in God and hope for a better day in our hearts.

Like those blessed by the Spirit of Christmas Present, we are unaware of the identity of everyone who has blessed our lives this Christmas; what else can we say, except:

Thank You! A Merry Christmas to us all, and God bless us, every one!