Operation Secret Santa

[Dkulhanek]

My mother has a life long friend who over the years has pretty much become like an aunt to me. Recently, she went on disability due to long term injuries she sustained years ago in a car accident. She is absolutely in love with my carvings and always is watching my Facebook page for new stuff. About a year ago, she told me that she collected glass marbles and was wanting me to carve her some marble display stands for her. I told her that I would be more than happy to, and response was, "No rush". Well like many things in life, it got put on the back burner. I recently did a Christmas bazaar and put up all my carvings that I had at the show on my Facebook page. I had a couple of chip carved pinecones that I learned how to do in a WCI article from last year. She sent me an email asking how much one would be. I told her around $20 and said that I hadn't forgot about her marble stands either. The email that I received back about broke my heart.

Dan,
Unfortunately, since I've been off work, I don't have much disposable income (really none until my disability paperwork gets handled) so could you put the marble stands on hold for awhile? I hate to ask you, but things have gotten pretty messed up. In fact, as much as I would like one, I'd better wait for one of your pinecones too. Sorry to have wasted your time on this, I'm just not used to being off work and not having income.

So, I hatched a plan with my mom called Operation Secret Santa. Now that I've fulfilled all the orders that I'm going to fill between now and Christmas, my remaining time will be spent carving a pinecone and the marble stands for her. My mother contacted her friend's brother and brought him in on the plan too. When I have finished the carvings, I'm going to ship them to her brother and have them all wrapped up like a present inside. On the top of the box, I'm going to holepunch and string on one of my business cards to the ribbon and write, "Merry Christmas from Carvin' Santa Claus."

I just feel this is the right thing to do since I have been in her situation before where I've been out of work with no income, and it SUCKS!!! I spent my unemployment check on presents that year just so everyone would have something to open from me on Christmas Day. I think this is the least I can do for an old family friend. I will update all with the end results as I furiously try to finish these in time so they'll still arrive before Christmas Day.

[Marci MN]

Thats a nice thing to do for her! I wish you luck on having enough time and all goes as planned.
Will you share a picture of your marble stands when you get them done?

Marcia.

[Ezzylearner]

That's very heart warming, spirit of Christmas no doubt. Good luck, hope you'll have time to complete your project and make her the happiest person this Christmas.

Ezzy

[Big Barn]

An idea for next Christmas - how about carving a Christmas tree & have hollowed out dentes where the marbles could sit/be displayed ? Kinda like big ornaments. You could even hollow out part of the inside & drill a small hole in each marble dent into the center where you could mount a small light. Depending on the marble, the light could possibly shine up thru it ? Depending on the engineering of course. ???

[Eddy-Smiles]

What goes around, comes around. You'll be paid back ten fold for your kindness!

[Dkulhanek]

Ok, so Operation Secret Santa was a success! I didn't have a chance to snag any pictures. My wife wrapped them up after they were done drying when I was at work.

Because of the timing, I didn't have a chance to get them in the mail to arrive in time for Christmas. I had her address handy, and saw that it was on the way to my parents' house while we were driving in. I dropped it off on her front porch, and dashed back to the car. When I got to my parents' house, I got her cell phone number from my mother. I knew she didn't have my number so I sent her a text message.

"HO HO HO! Merry Christmas! This is your Secret Santa. I can't fit down your chimney this year, so I decided to put your present out on your porch"

About a half hour went by and my parents' phone rang. It was her. We let the machine pick it up. She was so thankful for the carvings and said they were beautiful and just what she was wanting. She said we made her Christmas.

I came to find out later during dinner that just the day before, they had gotten her disability straightened out, and she received a check in the mail for her back pay. It was a Merry Christmas after all.