Our family has a tradition, started by my dad. Stemming from a desire to bring his grandchildren joy, he collected small toys. Because Dad was thrifty, these were used, dirty, and sometimes broken Happy Meal toys. He put these toys in a bag which became known as the “Goodie Bag.” Kids were invited to close their eyes, reach into the bag, and pull out a toy. When presented with this exciting mystery bag, Dad’s grandkids’ eyes filled with anticipation and expectation. Sometimes the toy that was pulled out filled their happy expectations, and there were smiles and hours of playing with the new toy. Quite often, though the toy was very disappointing. Sometimes the toy was not age-appropriate. Or sometimes a rambunctious little boy would pull out a pink, sparkly doll, and burst into tears and tantrums.  So a rule was developed for the goody bag: No matter what toy you get, smile and say, “goodie, goodie!” Some of the older kids caught on to this quickly and were able to see the humor in any toy they got.

Our family came to see the Goodie Bag as an analogy for life. Sometimes the “toys” that we get in life can meet our dreams and expectations, and sometimes they can be very disappointing and sad. However, with effort and creativity, we can take these disappointing “toys ” and choose to find a lesson, gift, or opportunity, that is as good or better than the original toy hoped for. Hoping you find many reasons to say "goodie, goodie" this Christmas season, --The Bagley family at Flat Creek Inn