Christmas 2011.
Rebecca and I sat with our families around the dining room table gazing at what remained of a perfectly fabulous holiday feast. Everything about Christmas had been memorable, from the rocky nativity skit starring our children to the frantic last minute gift wrapping after tuck-ins. The entire holiday was almost perfect.
Almost.
We had invited one of our girlfriends to join us for Christmas dinner since she was not only newly wed, her husband was newly deployed and both their famliies were an ocean away.
"So what did your hubby get you this year?" I asked in my best I'm-nosier-than-you-are tone.
"Oh, well, nothing," she replied.
Wait, what? "What do you mean, nothing?"
"Actually I did get a package from him in the mail this week but it was something he'd bought himself and had shipped home. He said he got me something but I'll have to wait until February when he gets back. He didn't want to ship it..."
What could we say to that?
This story has been repeated hundreds of times all over the world by wives of service men deployed for the holidays. Deployments are hard enough on a man. Throw in Christmas and shopping (something most men hate) with hundreds or thousands of miles separating them from malls and families and what is the final Christmas result?
A nice phone call.
Not a purse or a Kitchen Aid, no massage or two months worth of housekeeping. Men who are fighting for our freedom don't always have the time to make sure Santa remembers the Sherpa lined boots or the Brighton charm bracelet.
That's where we come in.
The Mrs. Claus Affair is dedicated to taking care of the wives of deployed service men during the holidays. We're not out to cure breast cancer (although that would be kind of awesome) or build houses for the blind.
But we do want to make sure that we teach our children the importance of serving others, especially mothers and wives who are hoofing it alone. Women that kill themselves off sending care packages and support for our deployed men and women often find themselves alone and giftless on Christmas morning.
Our goal is to raise enough money through donations and fundraisers to make sure some of the women in our local are have something special under the tree on Christmas morning. We don't need to save everyone, but we'd like to make a difference this Christmas for somebody.
Through nominations we're hoping to gather a list of women to bring together and celebrate with this Christmas. Not through bulk gift giving, but with a personal touch and plenty of thought. We're interested in quality not quantity.
And if you don't live in our area and want to participate, join our movement by locating a wife in your community and get her a gift to open on Christmas morning. Sign it, "The Mrs. Claus Affair," and send us a letter telling about your experience. Anyone can be involved.
If you would like to donate or participate in one of our local fundraisers, or if you have someone to nominate, please contact us at themrsclausaffair@gmail.com. More information will follow.
Tcheus!
Annie & Rebecca
