Grateful

I volunteered as a “Toy Shop Elf” at the Salvation Army’s Minneapolis Toy Shop yesterday, and it was a very rewarding and eye-opening experience — just in time for Christmas. My job was to escort adults while they “shopped” for gifts for their kids (up to age 12). There were stations set up for 0-2 years, 3-5 years, 6-9 years, and 10 and up, with boy and girl gifts in each station. Each person was allowed to choose two small toys (puzzles, games, dolls, etc.) or one large toy (ice skates, table-top air hockey game, boom box, remote-controlled car, etc.) per child, so basically I was there to help them decide, get them in and out as efficiently as possible, and make sure they didn’t try to take advantage of the system (I like to think that everyone would be honest if they were given the opportunity to shop alone, but there are always a few who feel entitled to more than their share).
Some observations
• Just because people are down on their luck doesn’t mean they don’t have an Xbox or Nintendo DS or CD or DVD players — I didn’t see a single video game on the tables of “goods,” and I only saw two CDs and two movies (and one was The Breakup!). I think a video game, movie, or CD would be a great gift for the right kid.
• I don’t know how many times a mom asked me if we had anything princess for her princess-obsessed daughter (a few books, that was it), and I didn’t see any Thomas the Train toys for boys. In the 3.5 hours I was there, I saw a total of two Barbies, which kind of surprised me. Do you think people shop differently than they would for a friend or relative when they’re donating to Toys for Tots or some other gift donation program? It seemed that way to me, but maybe the selection was just heavily game-focused the night I volunteered. (Not that there’s anything wrong with Candyland or Chutes or Ladders, but what kid doesn’t love a good toy on Christmas Day?!)
• I helped one frail young woman who grabbed my hand in her pale, bony hand, looked me in the eye, then said “Thank you SO much for doing this. Bless you. This means so much to me.” She then proceeded to tell me that her 7-year-old son, Kayden, was getting only one gift this year — and this was it. “If not for this program, he wouldn’t be getting anything,” she said through her tears. “And he’s such a good boy—he never asks for anything.” I almost started crying! She wound up choosing Battleship for him, so they could play the game together. I was tempted to tell her to grab another gift, just because she was so thankful, but I think she was the kind of person who would have refused.
• “Heaven” spelled backwards “Nevaeh” (Nev-ay-ah) was a popular name a few years ago, although I have yet to meet a Nevaeh in person. Last night I helped two women with a daughter named Nevaeh, my friend Alex also helped two women with daughters named Nevaeh. I also helped a woman who had a son named “Jamin.” I looked at the name, then asked her “Jammin’?” She shook her head no and said “No, his full name is Benjamin. We call him Jah-men for short.” (Ok then. That’s a new nickname for Benjamin!)
• Good parents are good parents, regardless of their income level. I know people who make over six figures who have greedy, spoiled kids, and I know people who are living in poverty who have respectful, polite, appreciative kids. Sometimes I think the kids who grow up without much of anything become the most giving adults.

The whole experience made me appreciate my family, my friends, my job, Aaron’s job (and good benefits), our little house (some would consider it a luxury), our car (even with a broken timing belt) so-so-so much.