1 . It was a few days before Christmas many years ago. It looked like it would be a(n) ______ one for my family. The factory where I was working had laid off(解雇) many of us workers, so we didn’t have much ______. My wife and I had saved to buy our young children some toys, ______ an unexpected car repair had taken most of our cash. We decided that we could only ______ to get one small gift for each of our children.

We arrived at the ______, walked down the parking lot and saw people putting gifts into their ______. We searched all through the store ______ to find one thing each of our small children would like. ______, we were able to get one for each of them. We ______ the checkout (结账台), bought the toys and were ______ that we even had a few dollars ______ finning. As we walked out of the store into the winter ______, I stopped and dropped those ______ into the charity box. I didn’t have a dime (一角硬币) left but that didn’t ______. Suddenly, it felt like Christmas.

I think the ______ actress Dale Evans ______ it best when she said: “Christmas, my child, is love in ______.” It doesn’t have to be a gift of money, either. When we ______ our smile, it’s Christmas. When we give others our ______ and compassion (同情), it’s Christmas. When we do anything at any time to ______ another, it’s Christmas. May you do all you can to make it Christmas every day of the year and every day of your life here.