I love the Christmas Spirit.

Yesterday, on my way to Emma's school to help with the Christmas party, I was just exiting my garage and pulling out when the mailman was driving in.  He gave me a look and pointed his finger like "Wait - I have one for you" - and I knew what it was :)  I had recently purchased four 1-pound boxes of See's Candy from a friend to help with a fundraiser for her son's school, and I knew they were on the way.  I gladly got out of my car and walked up to his open door and took my package.

We bantered for a minute about what great service he gave, practically door-to-door that day, and he had a cheerful attitude and gave me a holiday knucklebump when we finished.  I thanked him for my candy and he joked with me that had he known the contents, he would've kept it! :)

He turned his mail truck around and was starting to leave the development, when a neighbor girl of about 5 years old came running down her driveway - just to chat with the mailman.  I sat in my car behind them, for probably 2 minutes or so, watching her excitedly tell him a story.  Then I saw his hand reach out and give her a little candy cane, and it melted me.

I looked over at the box beside me and said to myself out loud "isn't this why you bought these?" - so I ripped that baby open and pulled out a wrapped box of candy - and walked up to the two of them and shoved it toward my mailman.  His eyes got so BIG, and the pom pom on his Santa hat wobbled a bit, and he said:

"Are you kidding me?!?"

"No - I want you to have it - enjoy it!"

"Oh my goodness, thank you SO MUCH! - Gimme a HUG!"

And we hugged.  And he was so happy.  And I was SO happy.  And I went on about my day.

Emma and I went to the Nutcracker that evening with friends and got home kind of late.  We stopped for the mail like we always do, and this is what we found:

Makes me teary all over again just to look at it here.  I love the Christmas season.