Thanks to the relatively close proximity of our homes and the great care with which we all handle our contact with other people during the pandemic, my husband and I have frequently enjoyed the company of our adult children this year. Otherwise, the following story might have unfolded quite differently.

At 11:00 p.m. on December 23, 2019, I was still in the midst of wrapping, tying, and tagging Christmas gifts for my family. It had never been my style to leave such things till the last minute, and I can’t explain how I had managed to put myself in that position. Suffice it to say that as I wearily scanned the 20 gifts (five packages for four adults at a similar total cost per person), a protest arose within me against my carefully calculated gift giving.

Just as I had sometimes rebelled when I was young by doing far more than was asked of me, I shortly formulated a new plan for Christmas 2020 that made jaws drop and eyes widen around my family circle. Instead of forming a mountain of presents under the tree, I informed them on December 26, I would give each of them one gift every month of 2020, including December. Twelve months of Christmas.

As the new year began, I considered my promise of 48 gifts and thought perhaps my friends were right that I was crazy. It didn’t take long, however, to find the rhythm of the ongoing season.

In January, while selecting a tool from my husband’s workbench, I discovered that he had covered the entire work surface with several pieces of cardboard of varying heights to protect it from some mishap. It’s like Ray to make do — but to appreciate my making things nicer.

My online search for a better protective cover didn’t point to a clear choice, but a friend offered me factory-fresh heavy-duty cardboard that would cover most of the worktable surface. I bought two such pieces from her for less than $5. With a large red bow stuck to the center, I surprised Ray with his first gift of twelve. I would never have placed cardboard under our Christmas tree, but he was pleased and relieved.

Suddenly anything that required attentiveness and caring became a possible present.

That applied to our children too: Julie and Lisa and Lisa’s husband Josiah, who is truly a son to us. Lisa received “Forever” stamps featuring orchids after she told me for the first time how much she loved them. Stamps for special cards seemed like a good idea; so I also picked out a set for Julie that reminded me of her art. Like cardboard, these were gifts I would never have thought of for Christmas Day.

Frequently I didn’t have to acquire anything to fulfill my twelve-month gift plan. Presents were already hidden away for all of them – books and games and gadgets I had purchased for Christmases past but which had been set aside in favor of fulfilling more immediate wishes. Other presents weren’t even hidden – books and décor, for example, which were mine and which my daughters had openly admired.

In the month of my landmark birthday, I decided to give all the adult children something even older than I am. Julie and Lisa received heirlooms that they had asked for but didn’t expect to receive until after my final birthday. For Josiah, I selected the solid brass water jug and cup that my father had brought home from India at the end of World War II. The girls were delighted with their gifts; Josiah was thrilled with his.

All this isn’t to say I haven’t spent money for gifts during the last eleven months. As to how much I spent, I have only a vague idea — and that’s been the joy of these twelve months of Christmas. Everyone has received love equally. And I have felt fulfilled figuring out how to give it.

After opening her 11th-day-of-Christmas present, Lisa asked, “Are you going to do 12 months of Christmas next year?”

It was a question I had already asked myself. Doubt arose as I thought of the empty shelves where gifts purchased in years past used to wait. More importantly, however, I needed to know how Ray, Julie, Lisa and Josiah wanted me to answer that question.

“Let’s talk about it on December 26,” I replied.

Just as I’ve run out of presents accumulated in the past, I’m now out of writing waiting to be read. Will I continue to publish monthly? Possibly not. But if you have been receiving monthly notices of new posts, you will know whenever there is something new to read. Thank you for following all these months.