Christmas in July: Southern Walk Style

August 7, 2014

Here on the Southern Walk (as I imagine it is on the other two walks as well), we find many interesting things on the side of the road. We see the typical license plates, soda bottles, beer cans, McDonalds wrappers and cigarette boxes. However, once in awhile, we find some really awesome things.

So our wonderful assistant walk leader suggested we have Christmas in July on the 25^th of the month. There’s a catch though… The presents had to be found on the side of the road! So we choose our “Secret Santa” names and went hunting.

Southern Walk had a very interesting and unique weekend in Alabama 2 weeks ago because we had the opportunity to film at EWTN for Life on the Rock (airing on 8/15) and then we stayed at the EWTN guesthouses for the weekend. So on Friday the 25^th, we spent the day at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama before heading back to Birmingham for our Christmas feast, a.k.a. our team pizza party.

[The girls with Fr. Mark from Life on the Rock after filming for the show at EWTN.]

[An incredible crucifix at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama.]

Friday night, after dinner, we all rounded up our gifts and Tyler pulled out a surprise for us—a mini Christmas tree…that he found on the side of the road! He said he was walking a shift with Sydney when he looked over and just saw a little Charlie Brown Christmas tree on the shoulder. How could he pass that up?

[Our little Charlie Brown Christmas tree.]

We began our Christmas evening, appropriately, with the gospel reading of the Nativity by our lovely Helen. We then had a toast to our Christmas, our walk and our new family. We wrapped up our intro with singing Silent Night—in harmony, I might add, because we’re all overachievers here on the Southern Walk.

[Helen reading the nativity.]

[Just getting our Silent Night singing on!]

So then Santa Cliff popped down to the tree and started handing out presents. It was incredible the things we found:

James “Canada” got a cracked up iPhone that we realized he could actually possibly make some money off of by recycling it.

Janice found Tyler 23” of a measuring tape, an old screwdriver and old vice grips that he actually got working.

Katherine got a purple lipstick umbrella, a single pink child’s croc (which Sydney claims is supposed to be used as a keychain) and an extraordinarily creepy painting of a little girl. Naturally, she loved the pink and purple gifts.

James “Aussie” may have gotten the coolest gift. Clifford found him a full size painting of a “Pride and Prejudice” looking scene in a ballroom with a piano.

Katherine found Clifford an Armani glasses cleaner cloth and some “Hail State” sunglasses.

Here on the Southern Walk, we like to embrace our country and our southern, so Gracie helped Janice get her country collection started with a camo Mossy Oak shirt that she found.

James Leach gave an awesome gift. He picked up some stones and pebbles from along the road and super glued them together into a cross for Gracie.

Tyler found Zander a certified “Rod Glove,” a broken charger (because she already has 20 from breaking them while on the walk) and a iPhone case…for her Samsung Galaxy.

Helen got a fly swatter with a cute little ribbon from Alex.

And last, but not least, James Bissonette found Alex a really nice pocketknife.

All in all, we had an incredible Christmas in July. It was definitely one of our favorite nights here on the Southern Walk; just hanging out enjoying some pizza, some presents and some quality family bonding time.