Love Doesn't Cost a Dime

Mr. Beguiles and I have a tradition that I thought I would share with all of you in light of the economic uncertainty we are currently facing.

Christmas is around the corner and I know many families are examining their budgets closely to see how they can scrimp and save in preparation for gift buying. Years ago, when my husband first discerned his calling to be a teacher and I a stay-at-home Mom, we realized that we were never going to be rich. This has never been something that has bothered us much as our lives are spectacularly rich in so many more important ways. However, we have learned how to be frugal. We have also discovered that any space that cannot be filled by money can be filled with love. Which brings me back to our Christmas gift giving tradition.

There are some years where money is more abundant and we delight in picking out humble gifts for one another but there have been an equal, if not greater, number of years where we examined the budget and found that we had just enough money in the bank to cover the cost of our children’s gifts. There have also been years where we have chosen to use our funds to travel across the country to visit family rather than buying one another gifts. There is one thing that we do every single year though (regardless of the balance in our checking account) and I prefer it to any gift in the world.

We write each other love letters.

We usually exchange them on Christmas Eve after the little ones have gone to bed. We put on Christmas carols, pour ourselves a festive beverage, curl up on the couch or in front of the fire and quietly read our letters. I cry and he laughs at me--no, not really, but I’m sure the temptation is there. I’m such a sentimental mess.

When we first met, my husband lived on one side of the country and I on the other. It was a short separation as I moved to his hometown a mere three months after meeting him (I’m impulsive like that) but for two young lovebirds it was plenty of time to send dozens of affectionate letters back and forth. I still have every single one. I've often said that if we were ever to have a house fire there are three things I would rescue. My family first, of course, and after that our family photographs and my letters from my husband. Several times a year I pull the box of letters down from the shelf at the top of my closet and read them. Despite the oldest ones being just shy of ten years they are well-worn. Each one has a treasured memory attached and to this day they still make me cry.

We don’t have the same amount of free time that we did back then. We don’t have long mornings, leisurely afternoons or quiet evenings to spend crafting odes to our singular love. Though we have found plenty of other ways of expressing our affection there is something uniquely special about taking the time to commit to paper your devotion to your true love. Without our Christmas tradition I’m afraid our letter writing might fall by the wayside given our hectic lives.

I reread my letters from my husband when he is traveling or has been working a lot, when we hit a rough patch and I need to be reminded that we will emerge intact and even stronger on the other side, or when I just feel like remembering those carefree, exhilarating early days. I often remember when, after my dear grandfather died, we found a stack of letters that he had written to my grandmother. What a comfort and delight it was to read them! I must admit to secretly hoping that one day my children and my children’s children will discover our love letters and be reminded of just how much we loved each other and them. I’d like to think our letters will be a testament to the love, faith and joy we share as a family.

There are many wondrous gifts my husband could buy me and I would receive them with joy and gratitude but none could tickle my fancy or touch my heart in the way that his letters do. Love doesn't cost a dime.


(Head on over to Works For Me Wednesday at Rocks in My Dryer to find a treasure trove of helpful advice! Thank you for being such a lovely hostess, Shannon!)