Nativity Store Expressions of Gratitude by Chan Sheppard

December 20, 2017

A PTM mom was sitting by herself in a busy room of children playing andmaking Christmas ornaments. She had just finished shopping in our Nativity Store where she was escorted by a personal shopper through various rooms at PTM to select gifts for her children. She motioned for me to sit beside her. “I feel so peaceful here. I was rushing this morning and didn’t know what the Nativity Store would be like. But, it is beautiful. I feel so blessed and thankful for what PTM has done for our family. I just want to sit here for a while.” It felt anything but peaceful to me, but I was so touched by her gratitude and her understanding of the gift the Nativity Store is to so many people. While PTM parents and children are the most obvious beneficiaries, it’s not hard to see how much Nativity Store means to others as well.

Here are a few other Nativity Store expressions of heartfelt gratitude:

“Thank you for offering this store for children. My husband and I lost two children at birth nine years ago. This year we decided to provide clothes and gifts for nine year old children. It helps us keep the memory alive of our own children who would be nine this year.”

“I have loved helping to set up the store. I work in retail and really like when clothes are folded and presented properly. I have also loved getting my whole store and our customers involved in this special project.”

“This is a tradition for our family. We have been here the last four years to help together as a family. We always get so much out of meeting the PTM parents and children.”

“I got to talk to all my students’ parents. I didn’t have tell them about a disciplinary issue with their children, I just got to share a snack with them and be together as friends.”

It takes a lot of work to collect gifts for over 250 children, to set those gifts up, and to wrap over 1,000 gifts. I am thankful for the hundreds of people who helped make this year’s Nativity Store special.