Benjamin is Back

We have a ton of Christmas traditions around here, and one of them is mentioning Benjamin in this space.

Since 2011, Benjamin has elected to give up his birthday presents so that Christmas Crazy could have a few more things. And by "a few," I mean a CAR LOAD.

Seriously.

I would estimate that Benjamin showed up at the Christmas Crazy drop-off with about $500 worth of toys. He is why we topped the $10,000 mark.

I mean, lot and lots of people are why we topped the $10,000 mark, but he's the only one I know who decided to give up his birthday presents so that other kids could have a merry Christmas.

Thanks for still being amazing, Benjamin. You are one of my favorite traditions.

Christmas Crazy, Volume 6.Amazing

It wasn't the first time I said it, but this year I meant it. If ever there was a right year to bow out of running Christmas Crazy, this was it. I often say that everyone has 24 hours in their day. It's up to us all to figure out how to use those 24 hours. That means nobody is any busier than anyone else. It's choices, really. Right now choices have me up to my eyeballs in chaos.

It would have been a good year to quit.

It wasn't just the chaos, though. I have a fear that I will post "Let's do this!" in regards to Christmas Crazy and will be met with the sound of crickets. Every year I get nervous that it won't work.

Every year you prove me so very wrong.

This year you proved me wrong to the tune of about $10,000 worth of toys, electronics, and gift cards.

If you're keeping track, then you know that makes this the biggest year ever.

By the way, there were no corporate sponsorships this year. No big shipments of motorized hamsters or endless boxes of awesome crafts or cash from an event padded the pile. It happened one person at a time, little by little.

This is what a whole bunch of people can do when they decide to do something. You've shown hundreds of kids that someone cares. You've shown those kids that they matter. You've made sure Christmas morning is a little bit more special.

Thank you for blowing me away again, internet.

(More about the delivery and such tomorrow. That chaos just woke up and is summoning me. ;-)  )

Every Little Toy Represents a Fantastic Person Who Lives In My Computer

There was a point when I posted a photo of the 2013 pile of Christmas Crazy and asked you to make this year's pile bigger.

You did.

I will post all of the details about 2014 tomorrow, but for now, let's look back at how much this amazing thing y'all do has grown, shall we?

2010 (I couldn't find the photos from before 2010) (because LAZY)

2011

2012

2013

The photos never show all of the toys, and this year will be no exception. Still. JUST YOU WAIT AND SEE.