Giving Tree - The Christmas Bathrobe -

A tree with special ornaments

makes its appearance every year in many churches.  Written on each paper ornament is a gift for someone in need.

One Christmas season,

The Giving Tree gave me a gift I will never forget.

Six years ago, Chris and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary at Geneva-On-The-Lake in The Finger Lakes region of NY.  It is so beautiful there; we had such a wonderful time.  For two frugal people, we did a little splurging, enjoying the views, the food and their lush bathrobes. 

The day we checked out of our hotel, we meandered over to their gift shop.  They had all kinds of typical things for sale...mugs, glasses, other souvenirs.  But, what caught my eye were

their bathrobes!   Frugal as I am, I didn't buy one...but I always remembered how wonderful they were.

Months later, I was at  BJ's Club and saw beautiful bathrobes for sale (they were stocking up for Christmas).  Oh...they were as nice as the ones from Geneva and priced to sell!

I didn't really need a new bathrobe.  My old one was okay... not as pretty and lush... but still okay.

After a long pause, a pretty pink one went in my cart.

For some reason, I didn't use it right away; it hung, tags still attached, in my closet.

On the first of December... in the gathering space of our church...

The Giving Tree stood in the center.

As I wandered over,  I saw that most of the ornaments were pulled off at the center and near the top...

Since there were many on the bottom, I reached down and pulled off a paper tag from deep in the tree.

On it was written

~ Ladies Bathrobe ~

I froze, there on my knees, at the foot of The Giving Tree...

...that, for a moment, was connecting me to Heaven...

~ Ladies Bathrobe ~

A pink one

meant for giving

was already hanging in my closet...

That week, I bought matching pajamas and slippers and wrapped them with the robe ~ nice and pretty.

With a full heart and tears in my eyes, I left the gift under the Tree...

...but the real Gift that Christmas, was the one born in my heart...

Christmas morning came two weeks later.

There, under our tree, were two large boxes wrapped by my husband, Chris.

There was a box for each of us;

I opened mine slowly ~ with anticipation.

Inside were the lush bathrobes from Geneva-On-The-Lake.

He had called and ordered them in August, a month after our anniversary;

he thought this would be a  

Grand Christmas surprise.

...The universe came full circle that day...

Thank you for taking the time to read this story.

For me, it is one I will always remember and cherish in my heart.

~Merry Christmas~

© Maria @ Calm-Energy