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How a single mother manages to make Christmas special for her children
By Tassia Dickenson
Kaieteur News – According to some commentators, there are single mothers among us who are the epitome of what a strong woman should be. This is in light of the fact that they are oftentimes forced to raise their children without the help of their partners.
Despite some difficulties, Amanda Smith always ensures that her family’s Christmas is always special
This can be quite challenging for some women, especially those with several children. But determined to ensure that their children grow up to be decent and productive citizens, some single mothers have been known to do the ‘impossible’ to make ends meet.
As we celebrate Christmas today, we welcome into the spotlight a woman who understands all too well the travails of a single mother with limited resources. Amanda Smith, a 58-year-old who hails from Samville, Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, recently spoke of how she has always managed to ensure that the Christmas season is always special for her children.
The mother of five boys, all adults now, related that although she could not always afford to purchase gifts each year for them, she always made sure that the home was well decorated and delectable meals were prepared for the entire family. She said too that even though she could not always fulfill her children’s wishes, they were, and continue to be, very contented with whatever little they have. Although many wishes went unanswered, Smith made it clear that this has never affected their happiness.
“They were never given toys every year, but we always ensured the house was decorated and that food was cooked and we would sit together and eat and have a great time,” she proudly shared.
Reflecting on the family’s annual preparation for Christmas, Smith noted that she, along with her children, would usually start cleaning their home in early December. They would divide the tasks and get them completed as soon as possible just to ensure that work doesn’t become overwhelming when it gets closer to the holidays since there is usually even more to be done around that time.
Christmas Eve night, she narrated, is when the family comes together to decorate the home with new curtains, lights, carpets and ornaments. They also place a huge focus on the Christmas tree decoration and light up and would usually stay up for hours ensuring that everything is just right. Once satisfied that with the decoration process, Smith noted that she would then direct her focus to baking cakes and bread and making pepperpot and other goodies in time for Christmas Day.
Once she was able to get gifts for them, Smith recalled that her children, when they were young, would comb the entire house with excitement to find and open their gifts before Christmas morning. “They would never wait until Christmas morning, they would always search the house for their gifts and open it before Christmas,” said a smiling Smith, who intends on making this and subsequent Christmases special for her family.
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