Giving Chickens

When I drove through New York City for the first time five years ago,

do you know what I was most excited to see?

The Empire State Building?  Rockefeller Square?

Nope--the Giving Machines!

And I was so disappointed when we arrived to find them closed for the night.

The Giving Machines have come back to New York City every December since then,

but I couldn't bring myself to make the seven-hour round-trip drive

to visit them and make a donation.

Then I found out they were coming to the Boston area too this year!

Come on, kids!  Let's go to Cambridge!

Anna, Todd, and I headed to the Cambridgeside Mall this evening

and started hunting for the Giving Machines.

I think we're getting warmer.

There they are!

I gave the kids a donation budget, 

and asked what they wanted to buy for another family somewhere in the world.

Since we love our hens, they decided to buy someone

a pair of Christmas chickens.

Then Anna used her Christmas Claire's gift card

to purchase some cute earrings that she's really excited about . . .

. . . and Todd used his Cheesecake Factory gift card

to buy some delicious dessert (which he kindly shared with Anna and me).

What a fun way to wrap up the Christmas season--

sharing a fun little adventure with loved ones,

and giving a gift to a stranger that can change their life for the better.