As I have mentioned before, Smokey is an in-patient psychiatric nurse specializing in children and adolescents, and he often works holidays. He worked a day shift on Christmas in one of the adolescent units in his hospital, and he told me this story about his morning there.
Every year some business or organization donates gifts for the patients. The staff decide who should get what, based on their knowledge of the kids, and do their best to make good matches. They wrap the presents, and the kids open them on Christmas morning. He said that many years the opening is sheer bedlam and greed and complaining ("I've got better than this at home." "Ewwww!" "This sucks!"), but this year was different and astonishing.
The gifts were passed out, and the kids sat with their gifts on their laps until all were distributed. The staff did not tell them to do this, they just did it all on their own. No one opened anything until everyone had their gifts. Then they took turns opening One.Thing.At.A.Time. Amazing.
Every single one was gracious about what they got, even when it was not exactly suited -- one girl who doesn't wear makeup got a bunch of it, but she smiled and said thank you even though her eyes showed her disappointment.
After all the gifts were opened the kids were allowed to trade with each other if they wanted. One boy, who had received a keyboard, traded it for a hair dryer... so he would have something to give his mother for Christmas.
And these are the kids in the psych ward.
I'm getting a little teary just typing this.
