IT was the first day of September and, as was customary, Aling Nena started to gather the boxes which contained the different Christmas decorations she had kept through the years.

That early, Christmas carols were already being played on the radio and the daily countdown to the big day was being aired on TV.

Nena carefully unwrapped each item in the box as Christmas tunes played on her music player.

“Nanay, you really don’t forget to start Christmas so early, huh?” kidded her son, Noel.

“Well, there’s no stopping Christmas. Besides, don’t you feel happy seeing our home brightened up by these decorations?” smiled his mother.

Noel shook his head, grinning, and went on his way to school, where his teacher reminded her students of their annual Christmas “exchange gift” party.

“I also want you to bring one item for our Christmas tree, make it something that represent what really makes your Christmas happy,” announced Miss Gomez.

Colorful decorations

Soon, the house of Aling Nena was filled with colorful decorations—mini-parols hanging at the veranda, and Christmas lights blinking endlessly.

One day, Nena was in her room and was about to open a small box when…

“Nanay, what is that? Do you still have some decorations left?” asked Noel, puzzled.

“No, it’s just an old gift box,” his mother quickly replied.

The truth was, it wasn’t just an old gift box. In it was something that Nena held very dear: Noel’s mittens and socks when he was a baby. She had kept them all these years, because they reminded her of that wonderful first Christmas when Noel came into her life.

Now, Noel was 7 years old, and Nena couldn’t help but be emotional. You see, Noel came from the Mary’s Angels Orphanage, where Nena had been volunteering every Christmastime and during summers.

She vividly remembered that special day:

“Hark! The herald angels sing. Glory to the newborn king…” sang the children’s choir in the orphanage.

It was Christmas eve, and all of the orphanage’s staff members and volunteers were putting the finishing touches to the celebration they had prepared for the kids. The kids were just as excited as toys abounded under the big Christmas tree, which they had all put together.

There were lots of fun games and laughter. Nena looked forward to this occasion every year, ever since her two grown-up daughters left to go to college while working part time in a department store in the city.

As everyone partook of the delicious meal for the Noche Buena, Sister Rose approached Nena and told her to go to her office.

There, Sister Rose revealed that somebody had left a baby at the gates of the orphanage. She showed Nena the infant, wrapped in a white diaper, with mittens and socks on. His head and body were cold from the cool breeze outside. The baby looked up at Aling Nena and smiled, and she instinctively embraced the child.

Precious gift

Nena brought the baby home, and aptly named him Noel. She said a prayer of gratitude to God for this precious gift. She was so happy that she took his mittens and socks —and hung them on the Christmas tree!

Each December, the orphanage opened its doors to families who wanted to “adopt” an orphan to spend Christmas with a “real” family. Christmas at the orphanage was a happy time, but Sister Rose wanted her foundlings to experience how it was to spend Christmas with a family.

More Christmases passed, and soon Noel did not only spend the holidays with his Nanay Nena, but stayed to live there as part of the family. Nena’s two daughters loved him as if he was their real kid brother.

Noel was very aware of the importance of Christmas for the kids at the orphanage. Every year, he would share his old clothes and toys with them, as Nena had taught him.

One day, Nena heard a loud knock on the door. “Aling Nena! Aling Nena!,” cried a loud voice. She hurried to see who it might be.

It was Pablo, one of the staff members of the orphanage. He was sent by Sister Rose to inform her of an urgent meeting.

When she arrived at the orphanage, Nena was saddened when Sister Rose told her that, this year, nobody had expressed interest in “adopting” an orphan for Christmas. In Nena’s many years as a volunteer, this was the first time that this had happened. She was very disappointed.

Sister Rose sadly narrated how she had called those who were “regulars” of the annual event, but all of them had declined, because they felt they couldn’t afford to spend more because of the hard times.

“But they don’t need to spend that much, they just need to give their time,” Nena thought to herself, bewildered.

Sister Rose and Nena prayed that they would come up with something, so as not to disappoint the kids.

When December came, Noel was trying to figure out what gift he would bring to the Christmas party at school. He checked his belongings and found a toy he hadn’t even used.

Meanwhile, the volunteers and staffers of the orphanage were planning their Christmas party for the kids. Despite the absence of families who’d spend time with the orphans, they still vowed to give the children the best Christmas ever!

When Nena came home, she sadly told Noel that no orphan would experience spending Christmas with a family this year.

Noel cried, because he wanted the children at the orphanage to be happy. But, his mom told him it would be alright, since the volunteers had prepared a fun party for them.

“And, you’ll be there, so I’m sure the children will be happy if you play with them,” said Nena, as she tried to comfort Noel.

Class party

“I have an idea!” Noel exclaimed. “I’ll ask Miss Gomez to hold our class party at the orphanage! All the toys we will be bringing for our exchange gifts will be shared with the kids at the orphanage, instead. That would be a lot of fun!”

Nena hugged Noel tightly and beamed, “You are such a good boy!”

As Noel prepared to go to school the following day, he remembered the Christmas décor he needed to bring for their classroom’s Christmas tree. He went through his mom’s boxes and found the old gift box he had seen her holding months ago. He opened the box and was surprised to see baby mittens and socks in it.

Puzzled look

As he was about to get the items inside the box, his mother came in. Seeing the puzzled look on Noel’s face, Nena sat beside him and explained:

“These were yours. You wore them when you were brought to the orphanage. I hung them on our tree the first Christmas you came to this house.”

Noel was touched. He knew that he was from the orphanage, but he never realized that his mom had treasured all these little things for love of him. He kissed Nena and whispered, “Thanks, Ma.”

He told his mom that he’d bring the mittens and socks to school and hang them on their Christmas tree.

“But these are not Christmas decorations,” Nena pointed out. “They are, Ma,” replied Noel. “Miss Gomez told us to bring something that makes our Christmas happy. These make me happy because these represent my very first Christmas with you!”

Nena smiled and kissed her precious boy.

When Noel told Miss Gomez about his plan, she was ecstatic. Soon, the news spread about the Christmas party at the orphanage, and all of the Grade 2 teachers and students pledged to join Miss Gomez’s class!

Saturday came, and the entire orphanage was teeming with many, many children, orphans and students alike, laughing, singing and playing, just like one big, happy family.

Sister Rose and the volunteers were amazed at what they were witnessing: Children giving gifts and happily sharing their time with less fortunate kids. It was truly a magical Christmas for everyone!