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Health & Fitness

Recipe for Christmas for 70 kids. Success!

I made a special sausage stuffing. I start with sage sausage. Add fresh celery and onion. Cook together. Add a stick of butter, and a can of broth. Add rubbed sage. Paprika. Toast a loaf and a half of bread, chop. Salt, pepper. It's amazing. I doubled the recipe to feed as many people as I could. 

This was just one of the preparations for Hollie Shriber's St. Olaf's party. 

On November 20th, Hollie told me she wanted to host a Christmas Party for less than fortunate neighbors to her church. Hollie had a list of 40 names of children who needed a Christmas present. Their lists were modest: warm blanket, coat, pillow. A devotional book. 

The party was scheduled for December 15th. This was where we began. 

Here is the original blog: http://yorkville.patch.com/groups/jen-slepickas-blog/p/santas-for-st-olafs

I was tickled and delighted by the eagerness and willingness of people to participate. I posted 5 names on my Facebook page. The names were quickly accounted for. 

5 more names were posted with the same response. And on and on it went. 

I chose a 5 year old boy. My son is seven- the age is close enough for me to figure out what would make a 5 year old boy happy. My son and I shopped. Some clothes, a coat. Hat and gloves. Next, we bought toys. Ryan picked out toys for our new friend. We put the toys in gift bags in our family room. 

Countless times, Ryan would peer inside at the tissue paper covered toys. I can't imagine how hard that was for him to buy toys that he would enjoy, for a friend we had yet to meet.

I gently explained to my son that our new friend doesn't have many toys. He doesn't have warm clothes. I told him it was our job to make sure our new friend is happy this Christmas. He seemed to understand. We'd shop and he's pick out additional toys for our new friend. 

My friends rose to the occasion and took full ownership of their chosen name/friends too. The presents were dropped off and piled up in my family room. My son's eyes grew even wider. My heart was filled with so much joy for what we were about to do on December 15th. 

Hollie had such a positive response at the church that the list grew to over 70 children. "I simply could not turn a child away. I could not say no," Hollie said with a smile. 

People gave and gave. As last minute donations were needed, they gave even more. I have a hard time putting into words how humbled and honored I am to know such giving, generous, kind people. 

Hollie and I kept in touch through texts and messages. Her joy was contagious as things came together. 

My sister in law and my God daughters mother had planned on attending the Christmas party on December 15th to make ornaments with the children. I decided that my contribution would be face painting. 

I had never face painted on a child in my life. (Insert smile). 

I recruited my friend Barbara (who dressed up as Mrs. Claus) and we face painted. I think I chose to face paint because it would give me a chance to make a child feel special on a personal level. Just to have a moment: To talk, to be silly. To see if they like school. 

The child in the photo is my Goddaughters brother, JJ. He was the first face that I painted. I learned that the smaller the child, the more wiggly they are. 

Ornaments were made. Faces were painted. There was a ton of food. Raffle prizes ensured that every single person got a present, in addition to the presents they would take home to be opened Christmas morning. 

Today felt like Christmas. I am so very glad to have been a part of it. Hollie, you throw an amazing party! 

At the end of the party, I went to find my sausage stuffing Tupperware. I was delighted to to discover it was completely empty. They liked my special sausage stuffing. 

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