When I was a small child, going to my Aunt Patty’s house was the highlight of my year. She and my Uncle Duane had a blended family of twelve kids and any time spent at her house was a mixture of adventure, chaos, and fun. The holidays only amplified this goodness.

At age eleven I went up north to Aunt Patty’s for Christmas break and I didn’t return home. I opted to live with my aunt, and I spent the next seven years of my childhood living with either her or my grandmother. Now that might not seem very special, but remember, Aunt Patty and Uncle Duane had lots of kids, they lived on a post office salary, and they didn’t have money for another child. They still took me in and they changed the course of my life.

Why would anyone ever agree to such a burden? They were good, loving people and they knew I needed help. And they helped me tremendously. I went from being afraid to feeling safe, I was given a warm dinner each night, and many times there was even dessert. To a struggling eleven-year-old, this all meant more than words can articulate.

I think back to those years, and I remember not for just the shift they made in my life, but also the goodness in Patty and Duane as people.

This goodness only increased during the holidays. Aunt Patty was active in the church, and she always seems to find a stray human that needed a place to go for Easter or Christmas.

I clearly remember watching the process of one of these newcomers arriving to the house. They’d walk in to find a pile of coats, a ton of shoes, and lots of people. They were given a big hug that was accompanied by a loving smile. On Christmas those visitors were also welcomed with a big ham dinner, sugar cookies, and a gift under the tree.

Then and now, it was the gift that took me by surprise the most. When I lived with Aunt Patty the food in the house included government cheese, peanut butter, and other staples. I knew this meant they didn’t have a lot of money and I knew Aunt Patty always managed to make do. This included having a wrapped present under the tree for visitors.

In many cases, those presents were socks. Socks were something everyone could use, but more important, they were something that made you feel included and loved.

Aunt Patty was a pro at making you feel loved. As an adult I moved away after high school and I always tried to stop in to say hi if I found my way back home. My sweet, tiny aunt would get a big smile on her face, say “oh my sweet little Becky”, and she’d throw her arms around me for hug. I bend down, because I was a lot taller than her. She was little in size, but big in love and generosity.

As I think back to those days, I know she left a lasting impact on me and others. She taught me multiple things that I took forward in my life:

Always help those less fortunate. And do so not to make yourself feel good, but because it is the right thing to do.
There are no strangers. When people come into your home you make sure they feel welcomed and you treat them like family.
Everyone deserves somewhere to go on the holidays, so open your doors and your heart to them.
Everyone should have at least one gift under the tree and socks make a great option.

Many years ago I had two of my cousins over to my house for a little holiday dinner. I had not spent time with them since they were little children. After dinner I gave them both gifts of socks. They both looked at me strangely and I explained this was the Aunt Patty way. They were too young to remember her sock gifts, but they both smiled and understood. It was Aunt Patty after all.

That was not the first time I’ve given socks as a gift, and it was definitely not the last.

Now that we own a farm and we make our own alpaca socks onsite, the socks I gift have improved in quality, and they are a bit more luxurious than before. I blessed that I have more opportunities to give than most and I make sure I use this ability to do good.

I’m pretty sure my sweet Aunt Patty would love the fact that we just donated 800 pairs of alpaca socks to the local shelter. She would have done the same, even if it meant she had holes in her own socks.