Home For The Holidays Dine Out: Fill & Download for Free

When I divorced my ex we of course needed to split up things from the home.For YEARS he had given me things for the house instead of Birthday, Mother’s Day, Christmas and Valentines Day. I would ask for something personal and not for the house but again and again I got kitchen gear, furniture, etc.2 years prior to the divorce he “gifted” me a large dining table . . no chairs just the table that could expand to sit 16!During the division of property I listed all the “gifts” under my personal property.HE HAD A FIT! The mediator asked why I was claiming all the brass lamps, the end tables, all the kitchen appliances, pots and pans . . basically everything except his favorite chair and his computer and desk.I told her and reminded him that for the majority of our marriage my “gifts” were these items. I even offered to call his sister who had a fit at him about the table with no chairs that was his last large gift to me. He immediately signed off on my claim for the household goods.It was interesting that the LAST Christmas gift he gave me was something personal and lovely. Except that I don’t think he actually got it for me. It was a lovely diamond and blue topaz snowflake pendant on a 20 inch white gold chain. Why do I think it wasn’t for me? Well, he got himself all dressed up and loaded with cologne and was creeping out of the house with a bulge in his suit coat pocket. I was in a room with a clear view of the front door reading. For some reason he had taken his car out of the garage and had parked it on the street (which HEAVEN FORBID he NEVER DID).I smelled the cologne before even seeing him all dressed up and waited. As he carefully opened the door I asked him where he was going? “Ah, nowhere you need to worry about.” Why are you so dressed up then? “I don't’ have to answer to you!” Oh, sure . . what is in your pocket? (By this time our son who was in college but home for the holiday was also standing with me). My spouse looked at me with a look of pure hatred on his face then looked at his son standing next to me. And proceeded to throw the box at my head and ran out the door saying it was a Christmas gift! I don’t think it was for meant for me . . . he purchased the item I had admired and had intended to give it to the woman I learned later was his mistress.Interestingly enough when I offered to “give” him that item in our division of property he no longer wanted it!

As a single Mom with 2 young children at the time, we lived just a couple miles away from a truck stop. The kids and I used to eat there on special occasions as the restaurant inside had a huge buffet at a reasonable cost.One year, we found ourselves at the truck stop restaurant on Christmas Eve. There were not many semi-trucks in the parking lot as most trucking companies try to get their drivers home for the holiday. Usually bustling with activity, the truck stop was quiet and a few lone truck drivers sat in the “driver’s area” of the restaurant. We typically sat in the larger dining area when we came to eat, but this day, I opted to seat us in the “driver’s area” and we took a booth.The kids were being kids…coloring their placemats with crayons provided by our waitress and excitedly talking about the fried chicken, roast beef and oh my the desserts they would soon devour! With the truck stop so empty, their small voices echoed in the room.One truck driver in particular kept watching us. I would occasionally glance over at him and his gaze was always on the children; a big smile on his face while watching their excitement at the food and their conversation about the arrival of Santa Claus later that evening. I watched as this truck driver’s face would light up and then his face would fall. I suspected he had a wife & children and wasn't going to get to be home with them for the holiday.When the kids got done coloring, they knew it was time to get their plates of food. It just so happened that the truck driver who was watching us also got up to get a 2nd plate. At the buffet, we caught each other’s eyes and I asked him if he was going to get home for Christmas. He replied he wasn't going to make it home and that this would be the first Christmas he wouldn't be home with his family. At that moment, my heart went out to him and I blurted out an invitation to sit with us for our meal. He immediately took me up on the offer.We talked through the entire meal. The driver telling me about his family several states away and how much he was missing them, and me reciprocating about my family as well. We talked for another hour after we cleared our plates of food. The children began to get antsy with their coloring complete and their bellies full and I knew our time with this driver was coming to a close. He thanked me for inviting him to sit with us and told me it made his holiday a bit better.I got up to pay our bill and as we were leaving and walking to the car, I heard someone yell behind me. The driver was running across the parking lot toward us with 2 stuffed animals in hand. He presented them to the kids and thanked me again for the company over dinner and for letting him give the kids a gift.We talked a few more minutes and I started the car and headed home. I can’t say who got more out of the spur of the moment invitation to eat together, but I smiled all the way home listening to the children play in the backseat with their new toys.

This happened to me a couple of years ago on Christmas Day. I was stuck by myself for the holidays, because I was waiting for my house purchase to close, and I didn't know if it would go through before the holiday or not in time to travel. So on Christmas Day I took myself out to a nice waterfront brunch and had plans to go see a movie in a dinner theater with friends later on. Unfortunately, the relaxing experience was somewhat ruined when I realized that I had left my wallet behind at home. I just offered to leave my smartphone behind, and run home for my wallet, which was just a few blocks away. That worked out fine.