The Three Person Parade of Joy

Today was yet another day to run more last minute errands ... although technically, they are not really last minute, since I planned to do them the Tuesday before Christmas. Today we spent a good amount of time at the post office, which was busier than I expected it to be at 10 am and again at 4pm.

So, the kids and I stopped at the Post Office just after ten this morning, and there was a line to the door, maybe four people in front of us, and about six behind us. I had grabbed a handful of mini candy canes on our way out of the car, with the thought of keeping the kids busy. So, I told Q that his job was to hand out candy canes to people he thought might like to have one and to tell them "Merry Christmas". Well, this took off like a rocket, especially after our parade experience three weeks ago. So, up and down the line he went, offering candy canes to people waiting in line at the post office. When you're in line at the post office, you're typically not very happy, because the line is long and not moving very quickly, especially at this time of year. So, I sent the 4 year old with a black and red dragon hat off to spread some joy. I think it worked, as there were quite a few smiles in line. And, he also saved a candy cane for each of the employees working at the counter - he does like going to the post office and talking to them, regardless of it being a holiday or not.

So, we left, and ran ran ran some errands. From the post office to the Movie Theater to pick up gift cards. From there to Target to pick up picture frames. From there to a class mates house to drop off the "ingredients" for the class party keepsake. From there to the Health Food store for some essential oils and Arnica. Then home.

Now, the daughter did not do so well during this, as she tried to run away from me on two separate occasions in two separate parking lots. Now Mama will tolerate some crap from the kids, but this is not one of them. So, she got to stay home with a baby sitter while the Son and I went back out to finish errands.

Back to the post office for more candy cane distribution and package mailing. Again, a very long line, but we did run into the neighbor, so that was nice. To the milk store. To yet another health food store, this time for Fruit Leather and Witch Hazel. Then to the grocery store for eggs (I'm supposed to be making cookies tonight, but it's not going to happen). Then to buy scratchy lottery tickets for stocking stuffers. Then to pick up a pizza. I decided against cooking tonight, but I still am going to make spaghetti sauce, we'll have it tomorrow instead. Then home.

That's a lot of errands. That makes a tired Mama. Thats why I'm drinking coffee at ten o'clock at night, which is probably not the smartest thing I've done today.

Back to my original thought ... the Three Person Parade of Joy. I know that the kids really enjoyed handing out candy canes to folks, and I think that they enjoyed receiving them. My only intent was to show the kids how to share the good mood and hopefully brighten someones day just a little bit, whether they eat candy canes or not. Because it's not the candy cane that's important, it's the message that went with it. And if nothing else, maybe they'll put their hand in their pocket at a later day or time, pull out a candy cane thats probably a bit on the mangled side, and remember a cute little boy with bright blue eyes and his brown haired little sister in the post office, giving out candy, and maybe they'll smile.