Monday, December 29, 2008
The boys and girls of Boys Town love Christmas just as much as you do. In so many ways, we are just like you…except for one thing…we don’t have much of a family.
We ask you and we plead with you, try to make Christmas a family day in your own home. Please read these reflections with your heart and go the extra mile. God bless you and Merry Christmas.
1. My best Christmas was when I was four. My mom shared her last Christmas with me before she passed. And I remember how joyful our family was, hanging up ornaments on the tree. --Molly
2. The worst Christmas was when I lived with my dad and his mean girlfriend who doesn’t believe in God nor does she celebrate Christmas. I was in the 5th grade and was excited to put up the tree my dad got for me and we put it in the living room so I could decorate it. When my dad’s girlfriend saw the tree, she yelled at me, told me how stupid it was and said I had to put it in my bedroom so she wouldn’t have to look at it.
3. The worst Christmas I experienced was when my mom and dad got a divorce. Yes, it solved the fighting, but it left three little girls without their father to spoil them in the Christmas season. He did not even want to be around us for Christmas. --Mary Anne
4. The best Christmas I ever experienced was my first Boys Town Christmas. I was in Kyle and Joya’s home. Joya was really creative. She used flower code names as our names for us girls so we couldn’t peek at our presents. We all shared with each other. We were having fun without arguing or doing things to offend each other. I hope this year’s Christmas will be just as memorable. --Jodi
5. The worst Christmas I experienced was when I woke up and found out that mom and dad weren’t getting along and we were not going to grandma’s for Christmas…the best Christmas I ever experienced was actually every other Christmas except the one listed above because I’ve learned you cannot let people ruin your happiness. You should be thankful for things you get. Remember, it is the day Jesus was born and He loves us no matter what kind of struggles we are going through. --Gina
6. My worst Christmas I ever experienced was when I was four. My family was very poor. My dad had to pawn my mother’s wedding ring to buy us toys. That’s what he said, but instead he took the money and went and got drugs. The next day, my mom started crying at the Christmas table when my dad was out with his friends. I didn’t get gifts, not even a tender hug. --Christina
7. The worst Christmas I ever experienced was last year because I didn’t think about my family and how they felt. I just thought about myself and it was the worst because I argued with my parents all the time.
I haven’t had a best Christmas yet, but I think this one will be it because now I’ve learned to think about others and about the true meaning of Christmas. --Barbara
8. My best Christmas was when my brother came home from Iraq. It was my brother’s first home visit. He got off the plane. We hugged each other. We got home. We went to grandma and grandpa’s and opened presents. Just sitting by him on the couch made me feel good. I really didn’t care about presents because my big brother was home. --Maria
9. My best Christmas was the time I was six and my grandfather came to my house at 4:00 in the morning. He was dressed like Santa and had all my presents. And Santa and I ate cookies together. Later when I was nine years old, I found out it was him. --Chris
10. My worst Christmas I ever spent was when my father died and I spent it without him. I was only 11 years
old. It was so very sad. --Johnny
11. The worst Christmas I ever had was last year. I was locked up and in juvenile hall for Thanksgiving and
Christmas. --Eric
12. My best Christmas was last year. My whole family was there and a lot of people I had not seen in a long
time. We cared for each other. Gifts were the last thing on my mind. I was in Missouri at my aunt’s house. Everybody had fun. Everything was perfect. --Jasmine
13. The worst Christmas I experienced was several years ago in Lincoln with my dad’s family. They had
problems with drugs and popping pills. My dad drank a few beers, popped pills and broke into my grandma’s neighbor’s house, stealing a computer, laptop and other valuable things. We waited for about an hour not knowing where he was. He finally returned and about 45 minutes later, two cops showed up, arrested him and took him off in handcuffs. I cried my eyes out on Christmas Day as my dad got taken away. Christmas is supposed to be joyous, happy, spiritual family time and that ruined everything. --Tommy
14. My best Christmas was here at Boys Town. Even though I wasn’t home with my family, I have people
around me who really care about me. No one argues. Everyone is happy. I have caring Family-Teachers and housemates. They lift me up when I get sad. --Fred
15. The worst Christmas I ever experienced scared me for life. My mom and dad started to argue. It got out of
control. My dad beat my mother and every Christmas I have flashbacks to when that happened. I try to forget, but it never leaves my mind. --Regina
16. My worst Christmas was last year. I was making really bad decisions. I constantly chose fun over family.
I was present at Christmas dinner, but I wasn’t really acknowledged. I was with my family, but alone because of my own choices. --Brittney
17. I have had a lot of good Christmases, but the one I remember real well is when I was nine years old. I was
with my foster parents at the time and my sister and brother were with me. It was the first Christmas I was with my sister and brother and the only time I was with them. It was great. --Melissa
18. My best Christmas was the one coming to Boys Town. I was able to be with people who were respectful
and respected me, people who loved me and I loved them. I felt total love. It was great. --Pam
19. The best Christmas I ever had was when I went home and it was just mom and me. We were all we had, but
we cared for each other. We watched movies. We opened presents. We had so much fun. We loved each other. --Arnaldo
20. The worst Christmas was when I was in Pipestone, Minnesota. We traveled to Iowa to see my grandma
who did not like me. She told me to go sit in the basement until it was bedtime. It was Christmas morning when we arrived and I could hear them having fun upstairs. It was my worst Christmas.
--Name withheld
21. My best Christmas I have experienced was right here at Boys Town. The Christmas homes were a blast.
I’ve been here four years and I love every minute of it. We go to so many different places. We meet different people. Everyone is in a good mood. We have fun. I didn’t have to be afraid of being hurt. I got the gift of having many friends. --Cecilia
We ask you and we plead with you, try to make Christmas a family day in your own home. Please read these reflections with your heart and go the extra mile. God bless you and Merry Christmas.
1. My best Christmas was when I was four. My mom shared her last Christmas with me before she passed. And I remember how joyful our family was, hanging up ornaments on the tree. --Molly
2. The worst Christmas was when I lived with my dad and his mean girlfriend who doesn’t believe in God nor does she celebrate Christmas. I was in the 5th grade and was excited to put up the tree my dad got for me and we put it in the living room so I could decorate it. When my dad’s girlfriend saw the tree, she yelled at me, told me how stupid it was and said I had to put it in my bedroom so she wouldn’t have to look at it.
3. The worst Christmas I experienced was when my mom and dad got a divorce. Yes, it solved the fighting, but it left three little girls without their father to spoil them in the Christmas season. He did not even want to be around us for Christmas. --Mary Anne
4. The best Christmas I ever experienced was my first Boys Town Christmas. I was in Kyle and Joya’s home. Joya was really creative. She used flower code names as our names for us girls so we couldn’t peek at our presents. We all shared with each other. We were having fun without arguing or doing things to offend each other. I hope this year’s Christmas will be just as memorable. --Jodi
5. The worst Christmas I experienced was when I woke up and found out that mom and dad weren’t getting along and we were not going to grandma’s for Christmas…the best Christmas I ever experienced was actually every other Christmas except the one listed above because I’ve learned you cannot let people ruin your happiness. You should be thankful for things you get. Remember, it is the day Jesus was born and He loves us no matter what kind of struggles we are going through. --Gina
6. My worst Christmas I ever experienced was when I was four. My family was very poor. My dad had to pawn my mother’s wedding ring to buy us toys. That’s what he said, but instead he took the money and went and got drugs. The next day, my mom started crying at the Christmas table when my dad was out with his friends. I didn’t get gifts, not even a tender hug. --Christina
7. The worst Christmas I ever experienced was last year because I didn’t think about my family and how they felt. I just thought about myself and it was the worst because I argued with my parents all the time.
I haven’t had a best Christmas yet, but I think this one will be it because now I’ve learned to think about others and about the true meaning of Christmas. --Barbara
8. My best Christmas was when my brother came home from Iraq. It was my brother’s first home visit. He got off the plane. We hugged each other. We got home. We went to grandma and grandpa’s and opened presents. Just sitting by him on the couch made me feel good. I really didn’t care about presents because my big brother was home. --Maria
9. My best Christmas was the time I was six and my grandfather came to my house at 4:00 in the morning. He was dressed like Santa and had all my presents. And Santa and I ate cookies together. Later when I was nine years old, I found out it was him. --Chris
10. My worst Christmas I ever spent was when my father died and I spent it without him. I was only 11 years
old. It was so very sad. --Johnny
11. The worst Christmas I ever had was last year. I was locked up and in juvenile hall for Thanksgiving and
Christmas. --Eric
12. My best Christmas was last year. My whole family was there and a lot of people I had not seen in a long
time. We cared for each other. Gifts were the last thing on my mind. I was in Missouri at my aunt’s house. Everybody had fun. Everything was perfect. --Jasmine
13. The worst Christmas I experienced was several years ago in Lincoln with my dad’s family. They had
problems with drugs and popping pills. My dad drank a few beers, popped pills and broke into my grandma’s neighbor’s house, stealing a computer, laptop and other valuable things. We waited for about an hour not knowing where he was. He finally returned and about 45 minutes later, two cops showed up, arrested him and took him off in handcuffs. I cried my eyes out on Christmas Day as my dad got taken away. Christmas is supposed to be joyous, happy, spiritual family time and that ruined everything. --Tommy
14. My best Christmas was here at Boys Town. Even though I wasn’t home with my family, I have people
around me who really care about me. No one argues. Everyone is happy. I have caring Family-Teachers and housemates. They lift me up when I get sad. --Fred
15. The worst Christmas I ever experienced scared me for life. My mom and dad started to argue. It got out of
control. My dad beat my mother and every Christmas I have flashbacks to when that happened. I try to forget, but it never leaves my mind. --Regina
16. My worst Christmas was last year. I was making really bad decisions. I constantly chose fun over family.
I was present at Christmas dinner, but I wasn’t really acknowledged. I was with my family, but alone because of my own choices. --Brittney
17. I have had a lot of good Christmases, but the one I remember real well is when I was nine years old. I was
with my foster parents at the time and my sister and brother were with me. It was the first Christmas I was with my sister and brother and the only time I was with them. It was great. --Melissa
18. My best Christmas was the one coming to Boys Town. I was able to be with people who were respectful
and respected me, people who loved me and I loved them. I felt total love. It was great. --Pam
19. The best Christmas I ever had was when I went home and it was just mom and me. We were all we had, but
we cared for each other. We watched movies. We opened presents. We had so much fun. We loved each other. --Arnaldo
20. The worst Christmas was when I was in Pipestone, Minnesota. We traveled to Iowa to see my grandma
who did not like me. She told me to go sit in the basement until it was bedtime. It was Christmas morning when we arrived and I could hear them having fun upstairs. It was my worst Christmas.
--Name withheld
21. My best Christmas I have experienced was right here at Boys Town. The Christmas homes were a blast.
I’ve been here four years and I love every minute of it. We go to so many different places. We meet different people. Everyone is in a good mood. We have fun. I didn’t have to be afraid of being hurt. I got the gift of having many friends. --Cecilia
posted by Fr. Peter | 4:40 PM
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