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Sztanyo Christmas Greeting 2021!

May this Christmas season be your family's

most meaningful ever! From our family to yours have a

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Dear Family & Friends,

Merry Christmas to you all! Barb is doing great and I am doing well recovering from a September emergency abdominal surgery. Other than that surprise, we have been healthy and active and have avoided the rona while maintaining our liberty for travel and activities. All of our kids and their families are doing very well and we had a completely wonderful time with them over Thanksgiving. Here below is a little musing of mine about the heavy meaning sometimes of the little things involved with this season.

Years ago, as Christmas approached, I went with my mother to the “big” city of Standish, MI (population 1500), for some shopping. I talked my mother into letting me shop at the dime store (which had a lot of good kid things in it). She was right next door in another store and acquiesced. I was 7-8 and we lived in a world and in a time when this could be done without a lot of worry if any. In fact my mom probably knew the lady owner at the dime store and without me knowing it she probably in turn knew me.

Well, the real reason I wanted to shop alone was that I wanted to buy something for my mother without her knowledge. When I went in I told the lady that I needed a gift for my mother. Of course she was helpful and showed me a few items but most of them I thought would be too much money, when I spotted a 14” high white wax Christmas tree candle. This candle was one of the biggest I had ever seen. It had glitter on it in 3 different colors and little bells hung from it and I thought it was so cool. So I ask to take a closer look and as I did the candle became even bigger and better in my young eyes. So I asked the lady if I could buy it and how much it was? She gave me a number that was in the dollars which I didn’t have. She saw my disappointment, then decided to ask me how much I had. I dropped my pocket change on the counter which all told was less than a dollar. She then said that today the coins I had was just right amount because the candle was on sale. My heart raced and smile grew and soon I was walking out of the store with the best gift that I have ever bought for someone and it was just perfect for my mom.

Later, at Christmas my mother opened it up to a big smile and asked me just how

I got this? When I told her she figured it all out and knew that my heart was in it and

the store owner showed me favor. My mom never lit this candle, but rather displayed

if every year prominently at Christmas. Now that she is in heaven, we have this

candle and as we decorate we still place it on the shelf at Christmas. Today, I spent

a little time in front of this slightly worn yet still un-lit candle. I thought of my mother

and how much I loved her. And I thought of that store owner who extended grace to

a simple little kid from a small neighboring town. Sometimes it is the littlest of

things that build the biggest of memories and sometimes they never go away but

become fonder every single year! 60+ year old candle gift >

This Christmas I hope you have the time to see something or someone, no matter how big or how small, and flash all the memories that you still hold onto with the greatest of care. I hope you can share just why these memories mean so much and how they have affected you. After all, we share the joy of Christmas and all that it means with others we love. So Barb and I hope this Christmas is one of your most wonderful and meaningful ever. And we hope you experienced, as we did, a time when the world you lived in was friendly, kind and safe and when you learned, for the very first time, that it is always better to give than to receive!

From our family to yours,

Merry Christmas from Florence!

Barb and Mark Sztanyo

Peace, Love and Joy!

Until next year!