At my writers group’s holiday party, one of our members shared a story from her days as a 2^nd grade teacher back in the mid-1980s. It was about the last day of school before Christmas vacation, when a shy young student stayed behind after everyone else had left the classroom. The little girl apologized that she hadn’t been able to get a gift for her teacher as the other kids had done. She explained that her mother said they couldn’t afford it. But the girl said she had something else to give her, and handed her a folded sheet of paper from a yellow notepad, along with the girl’s most recent school picture. The note said, “You are the best teacher I ever had,” and thanked her “for liking me and being nice to me and everybody.”

Her teacher gave her a hug, and told her young student that she had made her day. “Wrapped presents are very nice,” she told her, “but the best gifts are those given from the heart. This note is the best Christmas gift ever because the words on it came from your heart. I will always treasure and remember it.”

I got a lump in my throat as I listened to my friend tell her story, and even more so when she showed us a copy of the little girl’s photo, which she still has. And still treasures.

And now I will, too. I’ll treasure the reminder that it’s the gifts from the heart that matter most. Not the ones that come in big packages, or wrapped in fancy paper—although those are nice, too. But it’s the gifts from the heart that mean the most. A kind word. An enthusiastic smile. A comforting hug.

This holiday season, my wish for you is that you experience and enjoy many gifts from the heart—those you receive, and those you give to others.

Merry Christmas!

December 19, 2025
©Betty Liedtke, 2025

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