Christmas Giving Returned in Full (A True Story)

 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.  Luke 2:4-5
 Sing a Christmas carol at this link (with music)  Once in Royal David's City

Picture provided from Bible Videos produced by The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints on LDS.org

Christmas Giving Returned in Full (A True Story)
-Glenna Cottom Sanderson-

I can hear her now, the cleaning woman with her West Virginia, hill country dialect, as she told it to us.  Poor woman, she seemed born to hardship.  She had raised her nine brother and sisters from the time she was orphaned at 12, and much of what little she could earn disappeared into the bottomless pit of her husband's alcoholism.  She looked 60; we were shocked to learn that she was only 34.  But she had such jolly brown eyes and a resilient disposition that she seemed part of our family after a few times working at our home on Saturdays.

Her daughter, Gertie, was seven years old by Christmas time, when she was in the first grade.  In the school hallway was a big box for Christmas donations of canned food or used toys.  Gertie's teacher made an eloquent plea in behalf of the poor children who had no toys at all.  Gertie brought her doll, Mary, to school, checked back a tear as she stroked the faded print dress and said goodbye, then placed her in the big box.

On Christmas Even, the cleaning woman sat at the rough, oilcloth-covered table in her bleak kitchen, her face in her hands.  Gertie, with empty arms, was gazing out into the cold blackness when the knock came.  They hardly saw the two men who left so quickly after they set down their burden and shouted, "Merry Christmas!"

The woman and the little girl stared at the basket.  It was heaped so high there must have been two bushels of food and Christmas goodies.  And there, on the very top, in a wondrous new pink dress, sat . . . the doll, Mary.