I'm highly convinced it's children who keep Christmas feeling "real". The holidays have always been a big deal in my family, mostly because it means we will have another reason to get together. However, the "magic" part sort of loses it's shine and shimmer when you discover Santa is your parents and seeing so many people stress over what to buy and how much they spend. The simplicity of the holidays became real again this season in ways that are challenging me to put into words. I won't even try. All of the support that has been received over the past couple months, the giving, the time, the help finally became real today...

.

With a UHAUL full of love from 4 countries, all over the mainland, and 4 of the Hawaiian islands , we made Christmas real (all the sparkle and shine) happen for over 100 children and their families. It was the exciting feeling you get as a child when you "think" you hear Santa on the roof and see Rudolph in the sky! It was so cool! Without much else to say as I'm still sitting here semi-speechless, we took all that was given to us (from you all) and gave it away. In return, we got dozens of hugs and enough smiles to keep Christmas real...

THANK YOU to all of you that made this possible for each of those children and their families too. Unreal. MOST Happy Holidays & lots of love & aloha,

.

Bree

PS: Special thank you to Bike Works for being the drop-off point, the 83 people from other islands, countries, and the mainland that sent us clothes, gifts, shoes, toys, food, and financial help, thank you. To the awesome bakers that took over YWAM kitchen (and your own kitchens), to the local companies on Big Island that reached in your pockets, thank you. To those that helped me wrap (A LOT), to WHT for spreading the word, to Kurtistown Church & the tri clubs that donated massive amounts of shoe boxes, and High Cloud-thank you! To the Big Island community for embracing our neighbors down South, to everyone all over that gave & prayed, THANK YOU! HUGE Mahalo to the team that rolled South today (Wendy, Fredo, Annmarie, Kainoa, Janine & hubby, Deb & hubby, Becky and family, Dana & hubby, Mike, Pat, Matt & Anne, and of course Shirley) to help spread the ALOHA & to the Marshellese for welcoming us!! And to Kainoa... you keep Christmas real for me, Santa is coming for you next! (forgive me if I left anyone out)