Happy Friday: Saying Thanks
Sent from reader, Kerry:
My Mom lives in a nursing home and enjoys giving small gifts at Christmas to everyone who helps make her life so comfortable. This means she wants to thank her nurses and nursing aides, the housekeepers, the cooks and dietary aids, the maintenance department, the gardener, and the activities staff. She needs 75-80 gifts to thank all 3 shifts of employees. (The nursing home does not allow staff to accept monetary gifts.)
Thanks to Hip2Save, I collect “deals” throughout the year and then make “sets” of gift items. I package the gifts in clear cellophane bags with some paper shreds in the bottom so that the gift can be seen. They include everything from gloves, hand cream, bags of chocolates, foaming hand soaps, Christmas ornaments, ear buds, batteries, packages of pens, all the things you post on Hip2Save.
During the week before Christmas, my Mom calls every person to her room to wish them a Merry Christmas. She has a basket (with 15-20 gifts at a time) on her table and she lets each person choose a gift. They can see what is inside and pick something they like. My Mom loves having the company and her caregivers enjoy looking through the basket. This will be the third year we’ve done this and I thought your readers might enjoy this idea as a way of thanking nursing home staff!
HAPPY FRIDAY! 😀
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What a wonderful, heartwarming idea!! I’m so touched that she wants to do that for the people she sees everyday and think it’s so sweet that you help her do it. This made my night to read about this. You and your mom sound like lovely people 🙂
This is so beautiful love it!
What a fantastic idea. And more importantly, what a devoted daughter to invest all of the hours involved in collecting the gifts throughout the year. Your mother is a lucky woman (sounds like she was an excellent mother) to raise such a caring daughter.
Wow, that is a lot of packages. I have done a lot of cellophane bag treats and for me it was a lot work, so 75 gift bags is awesome!
Ah, a hip two-fer. Your mama, for having a grateful heart of gold, and you, for using your time and gifts to let her bring joy to so many other deserving angels. How great thou art, Kerry! Merry Christmas. Thanks for sharing, Collin.
What a sweet mom you have. The world needs more people like you and your mom. 🙂 Happy Holidays.
I want to thank you and your mom for remembering us nursing home employees. I am a nursing assistant and so many patients and their families forget how hard our jobs are and that we definitely don’t do it for the pay, but from our hearts. We each love our residents like our own family. Keep up the good work and may God bless y’all this Christmas. Love from Texas
I love this idea!!! Very creative way to say thanks you mean a lot to me and everything you do is appreciated!!
That’s so sweet!
Aww that’s the nicest thing I have ever heard. My mom is in a nursing home she is bed ridden. For the last two months we have been in and out of the hospital because of seizures (caused by strokes) then she stopped talking, moving her arms and legs. She just had a blank stare on her face. She had to have a feeding tube put in. On Thanksgiving I gave God the drivers seat. Well today I was there and it was like a miracle she waved at me she spoke and moved her legs and arms. God is good!!! When I read your post I thought this is what I will do to all the nurses and aides and everyone at the nursing home. Thank you sooooooo much. You are awesome!!! May God bless your family.
Hana, I could have written ur post. My Mom has just stares. She smiles once in a while, I thought it was involuntary muscles. This week she moved her head. To God be the glory!
Hi Lisha. It’s tough to see your mom like that, I know. There’s a saying in the bible that keeps me sane “Trust in The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path”. I will pray for your mom.
I will add this scripture to others I reference.
I just wanted to let you know even though its not our family as a medical professional ( i am a nurse) patients like this break our heart. I have gone home many times from work worrying about my patients like that.
Jenny,
There are some dedicated workers at my mothers facility and they deserve the praise. It takes a decimal reason to deal with residents/patients like this on a daily basis. To those who do their job, and those who go above and beyond, they (you) are worth their weight in gold. Thank you!
What a kind heart!
Wonderful story. Thanks for sharing.
Such a great post!!
What a beautiful woman
You are a wonderful daughter. What a wonderful idea and very thoughtful!!
This is really a wonderful idea. It’s always nice to share our deals.
Aww
Kerry,
Thanks for sharing ur idea. What joy you and your Mom’s efforts will put in the hearts of the caring staff. For those who are not as caring, it may awaken the spirit in them. Sometimes I feel discouraged with the commercialization of holidays, but your Mom instilled the true meaning to you. May you and your family have a wonderful holiday!!
Very sweet!
Wonderful!
THAT IS WONDERFUL!
Thank you for sharing! How amazing!
This is absolutely AWESOME!!! You have done something that is so loving & shared this idea with so many of us so that we can do the same – THANK YOU!!!
What a beautiful person your mom is!
Wonderful idea!
So very kind and sweet of your mother to do and also you with gathering the items.
Her angel.. . loved this story, thank you for sharing. Happy Holidays to you and your family! 🙂
Love you story, so nice of you, I work in a assisted living facility and last Christmas one of the families give us a walmart gift card and a bag of candies, and another family give us a box of homemade cookies.
Beautiful idea! How inspiring!
Both of you are a true example of the season – thank you for sharing your wonderful story!!
I usually don’t comment on these, but this is truly a wonderful story about your mom. My dad is in Hospice care and I would love to do this for the wonderful nurses and bath aides that come to help out at my parent’s house. Thank you for the idea!!!
That is a moving, amazing idea! I pray that you and your have a Blesses and Merry Christmas!
What a great idea, and so VERY thoughtful! I know they appreciate it!
I love this!! So sweet of both of you 😊
Thank you one and all for your very sweet words. My Mom was thrilled and pleased to think you were thoughtful enough to comment on her little way of saying, “Thanks” to her caregivers. Many thanks to Collin and her staff for posting all the great deals this Thanksgiving weekend and throughout the year. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!
Kerry
Awesome!!!
I think that is wonderful, especially since you include everyone – like maintenance and gardeners – I’m sure they love being acknowledged. Merry Christmas to you and your Mom!
How sweet!
Excellent! Thoughtful! Personable!
Cool idea!!!! 😉 Love this idea of picking your own gift !! Very nice.