"So this is Christmas, and what have you done..."

Before telling you about how the delivery went, I thought I’d let you know about all the stuff we managed to put together for the men at “La Maison du Père”. I actually did more shopping this year, than I had done all the previous years. While at the cash, I was asked questions like: “Do you only had men in your life?” and “Did you emptied our racks?”…Funny what buying a bunch of razors, shaving gel, socks, undies, etc. will make people say.

With the generous contributions of our friends, I managed to buy:

• 51 cans of shaving gel
• 416 disposable razors
• 36 pairs of sport socks
• 42 pairs of wool socks
• 55 under wear
• 100 white T-shirts
• 36 kits of fleece gloves and hat

Plus I have a big bag full of second-hand clothes, including lots of socks, a snowsuit, a ski jacket, a blazer and some dress pant.

Once again, I’m touched by the generosity of our friends, and how well they responded.

Here are pictures of everything in boxes and bags, ready to ne delivered...

































We delivered today. The delivery experience was very different from previous years. We only had one car full of goods (compared to three years before). We drove to “La Maison du Père” and saw men lined up all ready. I had thought that if we went there between lunch and dinner it would be less busy, but I thought wrong. As soon as they saw me talking bags out of the car they offered to help. I managed to make my way to the front door and was welcomed by a drunken man, talking to himself and a few other lurkers. I explained to the man in charge that I had a car full of stuff, so he told me to go by the docks, someone would be waiting for me. As soon as I put down the bags, full of gloves, this old man came by and asked the one in charge, showing his old gloves, full of holes, if he could get a pair of new ones…

As I got back into the car, I told Hubby that the “good feeling”, or the joy of seeing people’s happiness from receiving it all, wasn’t the same here. At all. We made our way to the loading docks and started unloading the goods. The man in charge there was very appreciative of what they were receiving and was very excited to see the cans of shaving gel and the razors. He knew that those things were expensive, and in great demand by the men at “La Maison du Père”. We unloaded everything, wished them all a Merry Christmas and came home. Those last five minutes, made it all worth it. I know we "did good", but somehow the feeling isn't quite the same as when a kid's face lights up because he saw a treat in a bag or a bag full of gifts... In a way this is why I chose this cause this year, to help those that society has given up on, and seeing all those men lined up, on Christmas Day, reminded me how good I do have it...

I may not have felt like seeing the relatives today, but in a way I should consider myself lucky to be with those I love and who love me back (or so I hope think)...

If every one of us did something like try to help somebody in need, on a smaller scale, I’m convinced that the world would be a better place and that poverty would be taken care of. We need to help each other, and show compassion. We need to show, somehow, that we do care…

I leave you with one of my favorite song's lyrics, and if you click on the link, if you want to hear it and to close you'll see an interesting video...

Happy Christmas (Lyrics)

And what have you done - Another year over
And a new one just begun - And so this is christmas
I hope you have fun - The near and the dear ones
The old and the young - A very merry christmas
And a happy new year - Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear - And so this is christmas
For weak and for strong - For rich and the poor ones
The war is so long - And so happy christmas
For black and for white - For yellow and red ones
Let’s stop all the fight - A very merry christmas
And a happy new year - Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear - And so this is christmas
And what have we done - Another year over
And a new one just begun - And so happy christmas
I hope you have fun - The near and the dear ones
The old and the young - A very merry christmas
And a happy new year - Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear - And so this is christmas
And what have we done -Another year over
And a new one just begun.