The Citizen, 2003-12-24, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2003.
Opinion
Value of this Christmas gift in the mailing
By Keith Roulston
On our spare bed. where ii won't
be worn by everyday use. (here is a
hand-appliqued quilt, a gift from my
mother years ago before age and
infirmity slowed her down.
The red roses that adorn the top
are the product of the artistic skill
she discovered in the latter part of
her life after the heavy work of
stretching meagre farm income
through a family of three kids finally
abated.
1 look at those roses and 1
remember her when she was
younger and more vital, not in her
final days when age had robbed her
of her joy for life. I look at the tiny,
intricate stitches that quilt the lop to
the padding and I think of the hands
of her many friends and neighbours
who sat around the frame piecing
(hat quilt together. Many of those
hands are stilled now too.
When 1 think about it, 1 can’t think
of a better gift my mother could have
given us even if she had unlimited
resources to shop the most exclusive
shops in North America.
Once upon a time handmade gifts
were the norm for Christmas. People
were short on money then, but long
on time and love.
But things got better financially,
even for those who would probably
describe themselves as not having
much. Somehow the homemade gift
paled beside the shiny store-bought
gift, particularly if it was advertised
in a catalogue, on the radio or on TV
and had that special stamp of fashion
on it.
modern shoppers.
Back then, of course, people
needed so much and had so few
options. Today trying to find a gilt
that’s actually useful can be a major
task. People generally are so well off
that if they want something, they
probably already have it.
And of course we feel the pressure
to find (he “perfect" gift. We’re big
on perfect these days. We must have
the perfect Christmas tree, the
perfect decorations outside. We even
have an image of perfect
Christmases handed down through
years of TV specials.
I’m sure that quilt is not perfect.
I’m sure if 1 brought in an expert in
quilling she could find imperfections
and in doing so might diminish m\
appreciation of this gift. But if that
expert had an unlimited budget to go
out and find the most finely crafted
quilt in existence, it couldn't hold a
candle to the one that’s in our guest
room.
You can’t buy love in Wal-Mart or
the Sears catalogue or anywhere
else. In the long run it seems to me
that it's the love that goes into a gift
that matters, not the number of
dollars.
My mother's house until the day
she died was cluttered with little
pored.nn ornaments ot no particular
financial value. We \tcie bewildered
that she kepi them hut I think I know
wh\ she did.
I bought some of those
unfashionable, even tacky, trinkets,
taking my liny shopping budget to
try to find something my mother
would love. Through grown-up eyes,
I smile and shake my head at my
gifts. Mother, though saw the love
not the ornament. Big dollars
couldn't have gone any further.
Sometimes I think we're poorer
for being richer.
A Day Later
_To^Be Better
Beginning January 8
The Citizen
will be publishing on Thursdays
to allow more timely
news in each
week's paper
Soon homemade seemed second
best and people would scrimp and
save to be able to buy gifts rather
Avon w
Maitland
Lrarrtiti# for a l.ifrtime
Publication and Notice of
2002-2003
Financial Statements
Under Subsection 252(2) of the Education Act. district school boards
are required to make the following financial data available to
ratepayers or supporters
2002 - 2003 Financial Statements
Notes to the Financial Statements
Auditor’s Report
Director’s Annual Report
Effective December 22. 2003, copies of these reports will be
available from
Administrative Office, AMDSB
Attention: Janet Baird-Jackson
Superintendent of Business & Treasurer
and on the Board website at www.amdsb.ca
Avon Maitland District School Board
62 Chalk Street North, Seaforth ON N0K 1W0
Telephone: (519) 527-0111 or 1-800-592-5437 Fax. (519) 527-0222
www.amdsb.ca
than seem too poor or, worse, too
Part o f the herd
cheap to buy
manufactured. No
generation or two
something
doubt a
of kids,
brainwashed by the expectations of
friends and the approval of the
What would a stable be without cows. At the Blyth Public
School concert, The Nativity scene had little cows on the
stage played by Ward Verschaeve and Andrew Falconer.
(Bonnie Gropp photo)
media drove nails in the coffin of the
homemade gift.
Nowadays for most of us it’s time
we lack, not money. Listen to most
people speak about gift buying and
you’d think it was an unpleasant
chore, not an experience of
expressing love for family and
friends. Somehow I can’t think that
the mother who used to knit scarves
for love ones or the father who hand
14 Queen Street, Belgrave
Here's hoping your holiday is simply divine!
It's been a privilege and a pleasure serving
you this past year.
519-357-2845
crafted a sleigh, saw gift-giving as
such a burden even if they actually
put more of themselves into it than
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tfte Q/ea* 2003
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