Baby's First Christmas, 1989
- Catherine Addor
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
My first year teaching Pre-K was in a resource-constrained community. In addition to early childhood education, our work extended far beyond the classroom. We helped connect families to housing support, food access, and medical services. The role was never limited to instruction; it was about care, stability, and trust.
Around the holidays, I expected absolutely nothing from families. I gave gifts to them. They owed me nothing.
It was Christmas, 1992.
On the last day of class before winter break, one little boy approached me with a small gift wrapped in newspaper and tied with a simple cord. It was modest and unassuming, offered quietly and with great seriousness. When I opened it, I found an ornament. The price tag was still attached.
Ten cents.
The ornament read: “Baby’s First Christmas 1989.”
I had no baby.
The parents had literacy needs. I am certain they had no idea what the ornament said. I am sure 10 cents was a lot for them to spend.
They knew something far more important: they wanted to say thank you.
There was no explanation, no elaborate note. The simple handwritten message read: "Thank You."
To this day, that ornament hangs on my tree every year.
Innovation in education (and in leadership more broadly) is often framed around new ideas, systems, tools, and initiatives. The most enduring innovation is not technical; it is relational. It lives in moments of trust, dignity, and human connection that cannot be standardized or scaled.
You cannot put a price on community.
You cannot quantify gratitude.
You cannot measure the impact of being seen.
That ten-cent ornament reminds me that thankfulness is not about cost, presentation, or perfection. It is about intention. It is about connection. It is about recognizing that even in moments of scarcity, people give what they can, not because they are obligated, but because they feel valued.
Leadership grounded in thankfulness resists transaction. It refuses to assign worth based on resources. It understands that the smallest gestures often carry the deepest meaning.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Before we innovate systems, we must examine our assumptions about value, worth, and reciprocity.
Where might I be measuring impact in ways that overlook human connection?
How do I respond to gestures that come from scarcity but are rich in meaning?
In what ways do I unintentionally equate value with resources rather than relationships?
Who in my community is offering more than they can afford, and how am I honoring that?
Actionable Steps
Innovation rooted in thankfulness shows up in everyday leadership choices.
Design family and community engagement that honors participation, not production.
Remove transactional expectations from acts of gratitude, especially in under-resourced communities.
Model public appreciation for effort, presence, and intention. Not outcomes or optics.
Preserve and share stories that anchor leadership in humanity rather than metrics.
Ask regularly: Who is unseen, and how can we make space for their voice without requiring perfection?
Every winter, as that ornament finds its place on my tree, I am reminded that the most meaningful gifts in education are never bought. They are offered in trust, wrapped in hope, and tied together by relationship. They remind us why we do this work, and who it is truly for.
May this season invite all of us (educators, leaders, families, and communities) to pause, reflect, and notice the quiet acts of gratitude that so often go unrecognized. May we honor connection over transaction, dignity over deficit, and humanity over hustle.
Wishing you warmth, peace, and moments of genuine connection throughout the winter holiday season and carrying thankfulness with us into the year ahead.
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