We interrupt your regular program to bring you...

... a photo of our Christmas tree.


Normally this wouldn't be anything monumental, but this year SP and I decided not to get a tree. Or bake Christmas cookies. Or send Christmas cards. Our families had already decided we were just buying for the kids, so that took the pressure off buying tons of gifts. We're going through some emotionally trying times right now, stuff I won't get into on this cooking blog, and we decided it was best for our mental health to just keep things low-key this year.

Apparently SP shared this with his coworkers today. They insisted we at least get a tree, saying we would always regret it if we didn't. He smiled and nodded, but didn't think anything more about it, until he was walking out to his car to head home. He always calls me when he leaves work so I was on the phone with him when he burst out laughing. I asked what was going on and he said, "Someone put a tree on my car." I thought I misheard him. Then he noticed one of his boss's business cards tucked into the door and he realized what had happened.

After he called both his bosses he found out the whole story. M & D heard what he said about not getting a tree and decided they needed to act. They went out at lunch and bought a tree, asked around the office to figure out which car was ours and then stuck the tree on the hood after telling the security guard to keep a close watch over it until SP came out to go home.

To say we're touched is the understatement of the century. I've already cried twice, very happy tears. The generosity of these two men is overwhelming. They didn't have to go to all this trouble for us, but they did. They went out of their way to make sure we smiled this Christmas season. My faith in humanity, in the enduring nature of the Christmas spirit, has been restored. I cannot believe how lucky we are to have people in our lives who care about us this much. My cup runneth over...