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| YOUR TOWN: Caroline | Culpeper | King George | Fredericksburg | Orange | Spotsylvania | Stafford | Westmoreland | |
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During this giving season there are lots of folks we would like to remember. Where do we draw the line?
During this giving season there are lots of folks we would like to remember. Where do we draw the line?Date published: 12/19/2003 By LUCIA ANDERSON OMETIMES the list seems endless. Just as you're tying the last bow on the last package, you think of somebody else you want to remember in this giving season. The neighbor kid who watches your pets while you're away. The piano teacher. Your exercise instructor. Gaah! So who do you get gifts for? A totally unscientific survey of shoppers at local stores revealed that most people give something to close neighbors and selected co-workers. Elementary school teachers, newspaper carriers, hairdressers and postal carriers also ranked fairly high. Others expand their lists to include school bus drivers, trash collectors, baby sitters, Sunday school teachers and dance instructors. "The people we feel are more involved in our life," said Susan Jensen of Stafford County, when explaining her list. She was shopping for chocolates and candles to fill gift mugs she'd bought. In a twist, Angie Hawkins of Stafford Lakes buys inexpensive gifts for 10 to 15 of her regular customers at the Hard Times Cafe. She also gives to her children's teachers, her day-care provider and to her neighbors. The recipients appreciate the gifts. "I have some farms on my route where they still bake," said Aubrey Leatherland, who delivers newspapers in the Chancellor area of Spotsylvania County. "There's maybe half a dozen ministers, their wives still bake." He said the bakers give him banana nut bread, homemade fruitcake and Christmas cookies. Others give him gloves, scarves or gift certificates to Blockbuster or Starbucks. Letherland estimated that two-thirds of his 350 customers give him some sort of remembrance at Christmas. He's been working the 16.5-mile route for nearly 10 years. He also lives in the area, so he knows many of his customers as neighbors and friends. His favorite gift, he said, is cash or checks. He saves it all up until Christmas eve and buys a big present for his family, like a big-screen TV or a computer. This year he's getting a family membership to the Spotsylvania County branch of the Rappahannock Area YMCA. Patty Estes, a first-grade teacher at Fredericksburg Academy, gets Christmas gifts from her students.
Date published: 12/19/2003
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