Vote for this Week’s ‘Charmed Christmas’ $250 James Avery Artisan Jewelry Winner

My mother,who happened to be my best friend, passed away December 17, 2007. I felt like my world had ended and didn't know how I could get through Christmas without her. As I was trying to make sense of everything I looked out the kitchen window and saw about a dozen red birds sitting in one tree looking my way. I went into the living room and there was a show on tv talking about red birds and it's meaning. I was so touched that I sat down and cried a while. Seems seeing a red bird means an angel is visiting you. Guess I had a lot watching over me that day.

When I think back to all my Christmas memories some of my best ones were with my grandma or as I called her my mamaw. The stockings have always been my favorite part and shes the reason why. Every year she would take a large index card and tape a row of quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies on then with a typed note (from her very old typewriter) that said all the great things she loved about you and how proud she was of you. But this Christmas was a little different. She had gotten me a hand held mirror and she taped a typed note to the back of it that says, "When you turn this mirror over you will see the most beautiful girl. The one that I see everytime I look at you." She passed that next year and to this day I still have that note near my mirror. I think about her all the time and how much she taught me about showing the people you love, just how much by doing little things. So now every year we keep her spirit alive by typing a letter to each family member and putting it in their stocking to find. And to this day I can't wait to see the smiles on my families faces when we get to the stockings.

My most memorable Christmas was in 2011. My mom passed away in August that year, so it was our first Christmas without her. My now-husband, Kris, and I drove to the cemetery early Christmas morning (about an hour away) so that we could put a Christmas wreath on my mom's stone and just spend time with her. There weren't very many people on the roads of course, so we expected to be alone. When we got to the cemetery, we were surprised to see an elderly gentleman sitting on the ground in front of a headstone. We walked to my mom's spot and I cleaned away some of the old flowers, but Kris was pulled to the man. I looked up, and he had walked over to the man, and had joined him on the ground. A little while later, I joined the two of them. The man was all alone on Christmas Day, and had come to visit his late wife. We shared stories, laughter, and tears. At the end, he asked to pray for us. Every Christmas morning, I say a prayer for that man, and I hope that he is doing well. That was a Christmas that I will never forget.

Last year, I finally got enough courage to remove myself from a 21yr abusive relationship. It still today has been the hardest decision but the most freeing I've ever made, especially having 2 wonderful boys who have seen things no child should ever have to witness. I remember it was 2 days before Christmas and my 2 boys came to me and said... Mommy we know you have been working really hard to give us a great Christmas and we wanted you to know that you are the best Mommy in the whole wide world so we decided to break our piggy banks and buy you something you've always wanted. My eldest son pulled out a James Avery bag and with tears in my eyes I opened the box that had a forged charm bracelet with a "I love you Mom" and "Love you More" charm. I started crying as my son placed my bracelet on my wrist with tears rolling down his face he whispered mom you deserve this and so much more. That is a day I will never forget and no matter what I wear my bracelet every single day which only comes off to add more charms. Thank you James Avery for creating a very special moment for my children and I.

First of all, what an honor to get to share my favorite Christmas memory with others in hopes to rekindle the Christmas spirit of giving and loving one another. My favorite memory was on December 22, 1999. I was a single mom of 2 children, a student in college and in the middle of a divorce and litigation and I was well aware that I would not have the children Christmas Eve or Christmas day. The events of that day are almost comical, you have to find humor sometimes. I had a cyst removed the day before from my back, was fighting a nasty cold and pluracy and was looking at the Christmas tree with only 2 presents under it. As I was sitting there contemplating how to make Christmas better , I heard a bubbling noise coming from, the tub and the toilet. Yes, the sewage was backing up. My neighbor was kind enough to call a friend of his who is a plumber. They came out and fixed the problem leaving me a hefty bill, reminding me that it would be holiday hours. Then a friend called, she needed help cleaning a huge house that was hosting a big party. I told her I would love to help. I really needed the money. I met her and for the next three hours we cleaned the house from top to bottom. The last thing I did was dust under a birdcage. It ends up I knocked over the birdcage and broke the lady's heirloom Heron. She refused to pay me in exchange for the price of the ceramic bird. I drove home in tears, now I couldn't even pay the babysitter, much less be able to pay anything to the plumber. I sat at my table with my two young children and explained that bad things happen to good people. We had a good talk about the true meaning of Christmas and it wasn't about the presents under the tree. We were interrupted by knock on the door. It was the FedEx man. He asked me to sign for a package. I was adamant that I had not ordered anything and was scared to death I would owe for the delivery. He explained to me that someone had sent ME the package and he even needed help bringing it in the house. It was a box as big as a refrigerator. Inside the box were 2 huge bags. One marked for my son and one marked for my daughter. There was a letter included. I sat in disbelief and read the letter out loud to my children. Heres what it said. Dear Robyn,, we would like to wish you and your children a very Merry Christmas. You should find two bags inside, one is for Victoria and the other for Austin. If you only find one bag then they were shipped separately and the other one will follow shortly. Just know that God truly is good, and that he will provide for our every need. You are a very special person and are a blessing to others. Keep your faith and focus on your goals, the Lord will take care of the rest. Also enclosed, is a little something for mom. Have a joyous Christmas. The letter was not signed. Inside was a separate envelope was cash and a Walmart card for groceries. This was 18 years ago, since, I have graduated from college with an education degree. I have remarried and I have five wonderful children. And even grandchildren now. This Christmas memory is precious and close to my heart. Someone reached out to me at a time when I needed it most. I Still to this day do not know who sent the letter and the packages. But it was a huge blessing and it instilled in me the true meaning of Christmas.

Sincerely,
Robyn Parker