Along her 70-minute commute to the Little Rock office every morning, there’s plenty for Kym McGee to enjoy out her car window – the trees, the waterways, and especially the State Capitol that she passes directly by. But not everything.
In her drive through downtown, Kym sees people walking around with nowhere to go. Homeless individuals on street corners, living out of tents and freezing in the winter cold. So three years ago, emotionally impacted by the despair she witnesses every morning, Kym decided it was time to be proactive, time to act. Since then, it’s become an immensely valuable addition to her family’s Christmas gathering.
She calls them Blessing Bags.
“I just felt like I needed to do something (for the homeless). And I also needed my kids to understand how thankful they need to be for everything that they have,” Kym says.
Looking back on generations of Christmases shared, Kym recognizes that traditions evolve as the people with them age – often, for the better. And so, in a family holiday celebration that’s full of cheer, camaraderie and celebratory laughter, the act of giving is, today, a centerpiece to their holiday spirit.
All in the Family
Family means everything to Kym – particularly her five children.
There’s the oldest, Whitney. She works as a real estate agent and has always had a special gift for art. In Whitney’s eighth grade preSAT test, she scored so high that she earned a college scholarship.
There’s Kurt, the next in line. A manager for Fed Ex, Kurt is the loud, funny one and often the center of attention.
Dominic, the middle child, is a machinist for Remington Arms and the yen to Kurt’s yang. He’s quiet and more reserved, Kym says. But as sweet as he can be. Garland, a driver for Pettis Office Supplies has never met a stranger, and ALWAYS has a smile on his face.
There’s AJ, the baby. Shy yet athletic, he made All-State several years in varsity football, and currently plays football for Arizona Christian University (though the season is temporarily on hold because of COVID-19).
Then, of course, the 10 grand kids, which bring enormous happiness – and perspective – to the more recent McGee family gatherings.
“It’s really, really wonderful with the grandchildren. Now you understand how your parents and grandparents felt,” Kym says. “The first couple of years we had them around, I probably cried because it’s just so wonderful. The smile on their faces, you can’t put it into words.”
A Family Affair
Kym and husband Billy's holiday hosting duties actually start the night before. She says she cooks all night, gets a little rest before 6 a.m., and then is ready to roll.
Gifts are set up in piles by name, and the unwrapping begins as the sun comes up. Around 1 or 2 p.m., it's time to eat. Cornbread dressing, a hen, ham, kale, baked mac and cheese and, of course, a plethora of desserts, are all staples for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Meanwhile, on the TV, before during, and after the gift wrapping and shared family meal, there’s football. Everyone in the family has a different team, be it the Saints, Ravens, Rams, Patriots, etc. One can imagine the banter between the four walls.
“We’ve always watched games together. The camaraderie, and that rivalry feeling, and plus, you know, we can talk a little stuff back and forth,” Kym says.
A Family Blessing
But there’s one tradition that’s perhaps dearest to Kym — the Blessing Bags.
Each family member gets a gallon Ziploc bag. They fill each one with items like socks, gloves, snacks, and $5 or $10, and then set the bag in their respective cars.
When anyone in the family sees a homeless person walking the streets, they offer them the Blessing Bag as their token of giving. It’s the kind of selfless gesture that not only catches the recipient by surprise, but brings the McGee family together. It’s also a gesture that Kym hopes inspires further acts of kindness and offers genuine hope to those suffering in the winter cold.
One day, she says, she even aspires to open a homeless shelter.
Like anyone else, Kym is sentimental about many things during the holidays. She recalls the warm Christmases in the Bay Area as a kid, intimate gatherings that were filled largely with love. She remembers her own kids’ Christmases, and then the pattern repeated, and accentuated, with her grandkids today.
She hopes the family, as years go by, will continue to come together every Christmas. She hopes they’ll enjoy really big meals, and enjoy even more each other’s company.
“And of course, I hope they’ll keep filling those Blessing Bags,” she says.
