The deer rifle on Christmas

Dear Editor,

A long time ago, there lived a man and his wife who had five children — four sons and one daughter.

The oldest son asked his parents for a hunting rifle but was told that they couldn’t afford one. He was told if he would work all summer and save his money, he could buy one. That’s exactly what he did.

He took the gun out hunting when deer season came in and killed his first deer.

Any of you hunters? Remember your first gun. I do — I still have mine, and all of Bill Gates’ money isn’t enough to buy it.

Three days before Christmas, the children except the oldest son were called around for some bad news. The parents knew the oldest son would understand. There wouldn’t be any presents this Christmas. Santa Claus wouldn’t be coming.

The father had just gotten out of the hospital, where he had had an appendix operation, and lost five weeks out of work.

Not wanting the children to be totally without Christmas, they bought each one a bag of candy and bought a sack of oranges for them to share.

Christmas Eve came, and the father took the children out in the woods to cut a live tree, trying to make Christmas as happy as possible.

The tree was decorated with lights and all the trimmings.

It had to be one of the saddest Christmas Eves ever. You’re a child going to bed knowing there won’t be any presents under the tree in the morning for you.

The next morning the parents awoke to the sound of happy children’s voices. They might be up to no telling what!

Entering the living room, they saw the tree all lit up and Christmas wrap all over the floor! The children all had a toy!

The second-oldest son came running, up exclaiming, “Mama, Daddy, I got a scout knife!”

The two youngest sons had Cowboy pistols and paper caps to shoot in them. The daughter had a babydoll like little girls played with then, hugging it.

Each parent asked each the obvious questions. Did you buy the toys, and if not, who then?!

It was then they heard a voice from behind say, “Mama, Daddy, I bought them.” They turned to see their oldest son smiling.

He was asked how. Where did he get enough money?

His answer — he had heard the parents telling the children about no Christmas. How did he get money? His answer — “I sold my rifle. I didn’t want them to have no Christmas presents on Christmas.”

This young man sacrificed something  precious to him to bring happiness to his siblings.

Why? A small word, yet so powerful, spelled L-O-V-E.

Christmas is when we celebrate the greatest love of all.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only beggotten son that who should belive on him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Sad we have made Christmas a commercial event.

This year, give the greatest gift of all — love. Help someone in need. Make their Christmas a happy one like the one in this story.

P.S. This was a true story.

Eddie Boggs

Westminster