Jill

When my sons were in high school a friend of theirs stopped by on Christmas morning. I wasn't going home for Christmas that year on Christmas day and was having another family who were alone to join us for Christmas dinner. Well, the boys friend stayed and stayed, and finally I sat another place at the table and cooked some extra food (he was a teenager after all and you know how they eat). I said something to my sons in private several times about him going home to be with his family but he had told them he wanted to stay with us. I would have been so hurt if that had been my sons not wanting to be home on Christmas.

amandasgramma

What a wonderful GIFT they all gave you!!!!!! It could be the opposite -- they could say they don't want to be at your house!

CoyoteQuilts

When I was a kid there was no way that I was gonna' stay at any body else's house--family or friend on Christmas Eve!!

lovequilts

I think that says a lot aobut u and your home. Say a prayer for each once and they leave this morning. As for your grandaughte.....you probably gave the parents a great give of a night of sleep.

Blessings, I'm sitting alone as my family is all over the place. Be thank fulf you have someone to hug and be with this special day.

Blessings. lovequilts

pineneedles4

When my boys were in school they had friends that came over to eat....every meal....all the time. At first I was upset because one boy ONLY came over to eat and then would leave...until I found out his mother had money for partying, drinking, cigs, etc, but never bought food. Another boy actually got whipped if he ate any food other than what was bought for him and stored in his cabinet (tons of Ramen noodles)...it sounded untrue until it came out of his mother's own mouth as she bragged that she allowed herself steaks but her kids were only allowed to eat what she bought and labeled for them! I never knew there were such skrewed up adults in this world! That same mother took a belt to her son (age 10 at the time) for taking some of "her" cheese and putting it on his Ramen noodles! I called DHS and asked them to investigate the situation and the horrible welts on the boy's back. I never turned a child away from my kitchen and they felt like it was paradise because I always baked cookies, cakes, pies, etc and kept them in the kitchen for "the boys". As adults, the first thing "the boys" ask is if I still bake. I think it's sad, but also, as a person in public education, I know that the small bit of heaven children receive during the day or from kind strangers are often the only kind acts and words in their lives. I think you are a wonderful person for allowing this child to share in your warm, safe, holiday home environment.

T-Bones mom

Be thankful!! This is the worst Christmas I can ever remember. My husband and I are alone for the first time. All the children are married and have their own families. Last night and this morning have been depressing. We will be with all of them later today but it is not the same as having them home. I miss the days of a house full of children or bigger children home for Christmas.

Sadiemae

As someone who is alone also, you brought back sweet memories with your posts. My Mom was like this with anyone who wanted/needed somewhere to go. She would invite everyone she knew that was alone or in difficult situations. There would alway be friends of the kids that were still at home there as well. The house was always overflowing with people. And there was always tons of food. She was an awesome cook! Seems that people are too busy now a days to have these kinds of holidays. It seems really sad to me. Oh, well... I think I will sew and keep myself busy today.

Ramona Byrd

What a lucky bunch they are to have found such a welcoming home. Sounds like they come from homes that have something wrong with them and they have found a safe place to find comfort. So treat them like your own and put them to work, I used to do that when I got tired of all the kids visiting. Surprised me how much they did and with great enthusiasm they preformed jobs that I didn't like to do myself. They were nice kids and even now, 30 or so years later, I still meet them and they tell me how much it meant to them at that bad time of their lives. Only now do they tell what was really happening to them at home then!!!

Enjoy your guests, looks like you're already treating them like family and know that you'll be blessed in showing them what a real family is like.

Hosta

when I was 17 I would have rather been at a friends on Christmas than my house she had the home life you dream about and mine stunk so I can see where the kids are coming from.

suebee

Ditto!!