A/N: So, I was inspired the last few nights by putting these together myself. It's something that I do every year hoping to put a smile on a child's face. I will have another note at the close of the story with more information.

It's the Spirit of Giving That Matters Most

Mac had gone out for some last-minute things for the Thanksgiving feast that the Rabb's would be throwing next week. Harm's parents were flying in early next week and Mac and Trish had a whole menu planned out. They were cooking for twenty adults and several children as well. However, they were also putting together smaller meals to donate to the local food bank to hopefully give some homeless veteran's a warm cooked meal.

She has already been gone for two hours and Harm was starting to get a little concerned. Just as he is walking towards the phone to give her a call, it rings. Harm answers immediately, without even waiting to hear who is on the other end, inherently knowing it is his wife. He asks, "Were your ears burning?"

Mac chuckles, "Nope, I just know how much you worry. I'm sorry that this is taking a little longer than I initially anticipated. I should be home in about another hour or so, but I need a favor."

Harm laughs wholeheartedly, "My muscles to help bring in all the groceries?"

His wife smiles, "That would be helpful as well, but I actually need a favor now."

Harm agrees easily, "What can I help with?"

Mac nibbles on her lower lip, "I need you to put the extra leaves in the dining room table. Harriet will be dropping by soon with covers for them."

Harm furrows his brow, wondering why she wants to set the table up this early, "Isn't Thanksgiving next week?"

Mac grins, "Yes… But I don't need it for Thanksgiving, yet. I have a little project I am going to work on with the kids and I need that much space. I don't want to go into all the details right now, you'll see when I get home. Just trust me, Sailor, it will all be worth it!"

Harm sports his flyboy grin, "I'll see you when you get home, Sarah. I love you."

Mac coos, "Love you too. See you shortly."

Harm looks in on his two children, happily giggling in front of the television. He calls, "Trisha. Can you watch Matt for a few minutes?"

She answers, "Sure, Daddy. Where you going?"

He smiles, "Just out to the garage, I need to get a few pieces to make the dining table bigger."

Trisha shouts, "Oh cool, are we going to be painting again?"

Harm chuckles at her enthusiasm, "I'm not quite sure what project your mother has in mind, but I'm sure it will be fun. She said she would fill us in when she gets home. If the doorbell rings, do not answer the door, just yell for me. I'll be back in just a few moments."

On his way out to the garage, Harm lets his mind travel back to when they bought the table. It was one of the first furnishings purchased for their new house. Mac was insistent on having a large dining room table and she was quite specific in what she wanted. Harm had tried to get her to go to various furniture stores but she absolutely refused. She claimed they most of those were made of press wood and she wanted something sturdy that would be worth their money. They took a weekend and drove down to Southern Maryland to an Amish Furniture Store where you could have your furniture custom built.

The table was handcrafted with two solid mahogany birdcage pedestals with satinwood banding along the entire outer edge. At its smallest setting it sat eight people but when all three leaves were inserted it could easily sit sixteen. And Mac of course had to have all the chairs matching and hand crafted as well including two specialty ones for the head and foot of the table large enough to fit Harm's oversized frame. He had been fitted for clothes before, but never for a chair. The whole experience was rather amusing. When everything had been totaled up, Harm balked at the price as he could have purchased a car outright for what they spent on that dining room set. His new bride had quickly reminded him that it was an investment in their future and something that would last forever. He knew that she wanted to put her lonely childhood behind her and focus on building their home that would be a welcoming environment for all of their extended family as well. The set had definitely held up as expected, and they had hosted numerous large gatherings and were easily able to accommodate large groups. It was a good thing that they had an open floorplan because at its full length, the table stretched into their family room. However, this would be the first time she had requested it for other than a meal and he had absolutely no idea what she was up to.

He has just finished inserting the last leaf into the table when he hears the doorbell ring. Trisha is already up and running towards the door, but Harm intercepts her grabbing her around her waist. She grumbles, "But Dad, it's probably Aunt Harriet!"

Harm sets her down on the ground taking her hand in his as he replies, "Yes, it probably is, but we don't know that for a fact. You know better than to just answer the door without knowing who is on the other side, and last I checked you weren't tall enough yet to see through the peephole. Hence why I told you to call for me if you heard the doorbell."

Trisha frowns, "I don't think I'll ever be tall enough to see through the peephole! Mommy is tall, and she still has to look up at you all the time."

Harm tickles her sides, "Yes, she does. But that is because I am taller than most people. I'll let you in on a little secret though, Mommy is tall enough to look through it so you don't have to reach my height to be able to see. I'll bet that you'll grow fast enough to see in just a few short years."

Trisha groans, "Years! That will take forever!"

Harm chuckles, "It will be here before you know it." Looking out the peephole, he does see Harriet standing out there as well as all of his godchildren, and she has her hands laden with bags. Quickly opening the door, he announces, "I'm so sorry, Harriet." Reaching his arms out to relieve her of some of her burdens, he quickly steps to the side as AJ and Jimmy try to push their way in the house.

Having her arms full doesn't stop the Lieutenant from yelling, "AJ and James Roberts you stop right there! We do not go running into someone's house without even saying 'hello' first."

AJ groans, "But Mom, it's just Uncle Harm's house. We are here all the time!"

Harriet eyes her youngest son sternly, "I don't care if you are here every day. You mind your manners, young man. I have taught you better than that. If you can't be polite, then maybe you can help your Dad watch the twins instead of being able to participate in what we have planned this afternoon."

AJ hangs his head, "I'm sorry, Mom." Turning to his godfather, he states, "Hi Uncle Harm, thank you for having us over. Can I go hang with Trisha and Matthew?"

Harm answers, "As long as your mom agrees it's fine with me."

Harriet hasn't responded as she is eyeing her other son sternly waiting for him to say something as well. The shyer of the two boys inquires, "Me too please, Uncle Harm."

Harm looks at Harriet with a raised brow and she tells her sons, "Yes, you may go play, but do not cause any trouble. Aunt Mac and I have a lot of fun planned and anyone who doesn't want to behave isn't getting to join and isn't having any of my famous cupcakes."

The boys sport wide grins, knowing their mom makes the greatest cupcakes. They simultaneously announce, "We'll be good, Mom!"

They scamper off to the living room and sit on the floor to watch the movie that Trisha and Matthew already have on. As Harm and Harriet walk towards the table, he asks, "What is all this stuff?"

Harriet chuckles, "Oh this is just the first load, Sir. I still have more in the car and I know that Mac wasn't done shopping yet when I left her. Bud will also be arriving shortly with the twins. Your wife thought it would be fun to spend the afternoon together, so hopefully we aren't imposing too much."

Harm shakes his head in the negative, "You know that we never mind having you guys over, you are family. I just wish my wife would give me a clue as to what she is doing rather than just providing mysterious hints." Noting the various bags from Toys R Us, Michael's, the Dollar Store, and Hobby Lobby he states, "Obviously this isn't for Toys for Tots since you are bringing them here instead of placing them in the donation bins but I have no idea what all these things are for. And it looks like you guys practically bought out the entire shopping center."

Harriet grins, "Not quite. Mac was still in DSW when I told her I was heading home to get the boys."

Harm's brows reach to his hairline, "You left Mac in a shoe store? Unsupervised? Is my credit card going to survive today's excursions?"

Harriet pats him on the arm, "She'll be just fine. And remember it's all for a good cause." She hears the sound of a car honking outside, "Why don't you go help Bud get the twins in, and then he can stay with the kids while we unloaded everything else. I'd like to have most of this stuff laid out by the time Mac arrives."

Harm leaves the bags on one end of the table and exits out the front door to go assist Bud. Bud is just rounding the side of the mini van and releasing the door when Harm reaches him. He claps Bud on the shoulder, "Any idea what the ladies are roping us into today?"

Bud replies somberly as he sets one of the twins' carriers on the driveway next to them, "Absolutely no idea. Although I was a bit concerned when Harriet called to ask where we stood on our credit card limit. I tried to protest, but I got shut down hard. It's no use arguing with my wife, she always wins."

Harm sympathizes, "At least your wife isn't a Marine that would knock you flat on your back before you even realized it!"

Bud gasps, "Mac wouldn't do that would she?"

Harm's only response is to raise an eyebrow in question.

Bud shakes his head, "I wouldn't put it past Harriet either if I irritated her enough. And it's a lot easier to get me down now with the prothesis."

Harm notices Bud rubbing it absentmindedly and asks, "Is it bothering you?"

Bud notes, "A little. The colder weather usually makes it ache a little, but I've been pushing it more than I should be anyway making sure I'll be able to pass PT."

Harm nods towards the house, "Go collapse on the couch in the family room where the kids are. I'll bring the twins in and then grab you an ice pack. You can just relax."

Bud begins to protest, but Harm shoves the diaper bag into his arms, "Go! That's an order, Commander."

Bud accepts, "Thank you, Sir."

Harm reaches in to pull out Nicky and sets the carrier next to that of his sister before closing the door to the van. Picking up both infants to head into the house, he chuckles "It won't be too long before you two are riding on a different kind of carrier. I guarantee you that it will be fantastic when you have the scent of the salt of the sea invading your senses and jets catapulting around you!"

Nicky looks up at his godfather with a wide grin just as they enter the house. Harm catches it and replies, "Yep, there's a future Naval Aviator ready to take his first flight."

Harriet overhears Harm and walks out to grab one of her little ones after swatting Harm in the bicep, "You aren't trying to corrupt my children already, are you Captain?"

Harm sheepishly grins, "Not me. I would never try to convince a member of the next generation that flying is the best way to go."

As they proceed into the living room, he is proved a liar as Matthew reaches his arms up to his father, "Air Rabb, Daddy?"

Harriet simply laughs as she places Nicky in his father's arms and notices Bud wince. Taking the other carrier out of Harm's hand, she mentions, "Please ensure that your flight path includes a stopover in the kitchen for an ice pack. We'll get the rest of the loot from the van after Matthew has safely landed."

Harm grins scooping his son up in his arms, "Air Rabb it is. Please ensure that your seatbelts are safely fastened."

Matthew grabs a handful of Harm's shirt, "Ready Daddy, go fast!"

Harm performs aerial maneuvers on the way to the kitchen but stops short when he sees the spread of cars, balls, dolls and various outfits for them, and miscellaneous party packs covering 1/4th of his dining room table. Only Matthew pulling on his shirt gets him moving again. Tucking Matthew safely against his hip when he reaches the fridge, he states, "Temporarily layover." Matthew sticks his lower lip out in an adorable Rabb pout. Harm tickles his tummy, "Sorry Buddy, we will be back in the air in a moment. I just have to grab something for Aunt Harriet."

Grabbing a large bag of broccoli, Harm closes the freezer door and places the ice pack against Matt's tummy. Matt squeals, "Cold!" as Harm laughs taking the ice pack back and securing it in the back of his jeans.

Harm gets Matthew back into appropriate flying position and announces, "And away we go again!" Harm flies Matthew back to the living room, setting him back down next to his sister. He hands Harriet the ice pack which she promptly situates on Bud's sore knee. Harm inquires, "Ready to grab the next load? If not, you can stay here and just let me know what I need to get."

After a silent confirmation from Bud that he is fine with staying with the kids alone, Harriet responds, "Let's go."

Harm follows her outside and just as they have grabbed the last of the packages, Mac pulls in behind them in her Jeep Wrangler. Hopping out of the SUV with a wide smile on her face Mac rushes over and plants a chaste kiss on Harm's lips, "Hi, Sailor."

Harm smiles, "Hi yourself. Just let me take this group in and I'll help with what's in your car. Please tell me you don't have this many packages."

Mac chuckles, looking between him and Harriet to gauge all they are holding, "Nope, I have at least a dozen more bags than this."

Mac can hear Harm grumbling as he walks toward the house, "That's my wife, the shopaholic."

Mac yells after them, "I heard that, Harm!"

She walks back over to her car to grab the first load laughing as she watches him enter the house with his head still shaking from side to side.

Harm sets the bags next to the table and turns to Harriet, "You okay with setting all this stuff up while I help Mac."

Harriet nods, "Yep. I know just how she wants everything arranged."

Harm sees Mac carrying in bags full of shoeboxes and exclaims, "How many more pairs do you need?"

She drops all bags but one next to his pile on the floor, turning her wide eyes on him as she walks to where he is. Poking her finger in his chest, "For your information, Mister, I only bought one pair of shoes for me to go with my dress for the Christmas Eve party."

Harm groans as he looks down and sees the Christian Louboutin bag in her other hand. Waving his hand toward the table and the packages, he asks, "Then what is all of this? It looks like you bought out the shoe store, the craft store, and the toy store!"

Mac replies, "I passed by Chick-fil-A, popping one of their free samples in my mouth, and happened to see the sign for Operation Christmas Child. I fondly remember putting a shoebox together with Eddie and his family one year, so I went inside to inquire. Unfortunately, they informed me that all of their boxes had been given out weeks ago. However, they gave me the informational pamphlet which said that you could pack your own. With that in mind, I canvassed a few shoe stores to see if they had any empty boxes that they were willing to part with and explained what I would be using them for. Several stores were willing to participate, and I didn't stop until I had enough for all of us. Then, I asked Harriet to meet me, and we went shopping for items to fill them with. I thought it would be a nice Rabb/Roberts seasonal tradition to start that will also show the kids that there are other children in the world that are far less fortunate than they are. However, next year I will save the shoe boxes throughout the year. I definitely buy enough shoes in a year to have enough boxes for all of us!"

Harm is touched by his wife's heartwarming tale. He brushes the lone tear that escaped out of the corner of her eye with the pad of his thumb. It is nice that she has at least one good holiday memory from her childhood, even if it does remind her of the friend that she lost so many years ago. He places a soft kiss on her lips, agreeing "I think that is a fantastic idea. Minus all the shoe buying that is, I can definitely see you using this as an excuse for purchasing a few extra pairs along the way."

Thankful for her husband's attempt at lightening her nostalgic trip down memory lane, she wraps her arms around him letting her bag graze against his thighs as she rests her cheek on his broad chest. "I love you."

Feeling the point of the heels against the back of his legs he replies, "I love you too." Tilting her chin up to give her another kiss, he teases, "And I can already feel that I am going to love these shoes as well."

Smiling against his lips after a soul deep kiss, she replies, "I know what you like, Sailor. Now let me go hide these in the closet and we can get to work."

Harm glances at all the toys and says, "I'm just afraid the kids are going to think this is all for them."

Harriet answers as Mac heads up the stairs, "We got something for each of our own kids as well as a reward when they are finished. We do plan to explain before we let them in here what these items are for. I think the kids will understand just fine since they know we buy stuff for the Toys for Tots every year as well. And not everything here is toys. As you can see, we have school supplies and clothes as well."

By the time Mac has come back downstairs, the dining room table is full with all like items arranged together so that each person can travel down the table like an assembly line gathering items to put in each of the boxes. At the end of the line are various small knickknacks that can be used to fill any remaining spaces left in the box.

Together, the adults head back into the family room and explain the plan to the kids. Since the twins have both fallen asleep in Bud's lap, Harm and Mac volunteer to do the boxes for each of them. Trisha asks, "Is this like when we put together the easter baskets for the church for the kids who wouldn't be able to have them?"

Mac ruffles her daughter's hair, "It's just like that Trisha. We want to help make sure that every child in the world have something under their tree. To make it easier, we will be making boxes for boys and girls aged five to nine; the same ages that you and AJ are. Miss Harriet and I are doing a couple of extra boxes for the younger and older kids with other items so that those kids are covered too."

AJ interrupts, "But Santa visits everyone so they already have something."

Harriet intercedes this time, "Yes, AJ. Santa does visit everyone, but wouldn't you like it if you had an extra present under the tree, even if was from a total stranger."

AJ nods, as Trisha asks, "Could we write the child a note or send a Christmas card with the box so that they would know who it is from?"

Mac replies, "That's a great idea, Sweetie, I didn't even think of that. We can definitely include a card from each of us. Now, if nobody has any other questions, we can go start filling the boxes!"

Trisha and AJ start to run towards the dining room, and Harriet is the first to yell, "Wait for us, and walk please!" Harm lifts up Matthew and Jimmy as the ladies follow the older kids to the dining room.

AJ reaches the table first, "Wow! Look at all this stuff!

Harriet shakes her head, "Remember AJ. This is not stuff for us, this is stuff for other people. And when we are finished filling them, we can write out the cards while we are eating the pumpkin cupcakes that I made. Aunt Mac is going to start the line so she can show you what to do. Everyone can line up behind her and follow her lead. You can decide if you want to make a box for a boy or a girl and choose things from the line that you think they would like."

Mac grabs a box and starts going down the line explaining, "Each box gets a box of crayons and pencils, a pair of gloves and a hat, a couple of activity books, a toothbrush, a comb, and a Chapstick. Otherwise, what else you put in the box is entirely up to you."

Trisha, following directly behind her mother, smiles when she reaches the hair stuff, "Some of these bows are really pretty, Mommy. If we have extra, could you put some in my hair?"

Mac smiles broadly down at her daughter as she tries not to cry at the sweetness of the moment, "I sure can, sweetie. And if we run out, I know just where to find some more."

AJ, following behind Trisha, makes sure that he adds a few pinball handheld games, a slinky, and a hacky sack to the box he is creating for a boy which already holds an Etch-a-Sketch and some racecars.

Harm and Harriet help Jimmy and Matthew select the items they want to put in their boxes, and Matt picks a doll that looks a lot like his mother in his box. When Harm questions his choice, Matt shrugs his shoulders, "She's pretty, Daddy."

Harm looks at his wife with his eyes twinkling, "Yes, she is."

At the end of the line in the large pile of little things, they each pick various items to fill their boxes. Some added bracelets, others added bouncy balls, and some contained little Lego's, toy ships, and finger puppets. Once everyone was satisfied with what they had in their boxes, they closed them up and Mac and Harriet led them to the bathroom to wash their hands.

Harm placed all the remaining items into a couple of the larger recycled shopping bags figuring that Harriet and Mac might want to use them for the other age group boxes. If not, they can save the items for next year. He walks into the kitchen and washes his own hands, grabbing a box of Christmas cards, and some pens, from one of the cabinets. Lifting the cupcake Tupperware from the counter, and swiping some napkins, he takes everything back out to the table.

He walks into the living room to rouse Bud, and lifts Nicky out of his arms so that Bud can shift enough to get out of the chair. Bud sleepily asks, "You guys are done already?"

Harm, slightly concerned, says, "We've been at it for an hour and a half. Are you sure you are okay?"

Bud shakes the cobwebs out of his head, "Yeah, I'm good. Just must have been more tired than I thought." As he plants his feet on the floor, and the soggy bag of broccoli falls to the floor he remarks, "Knee feels a lot better though."

As Bud stands up with Josh on his hip, Harm offers him a hand in case he needs it. Bud chuckles, "I'm good, Sir. Sea legs are all shipshape."

Harm smiles, "Ok let's go have some of your wife's scrumptious cupcakes and write our cards out to the kids that the boxes are going to."

Everyone assembled back at the table and wrote out what they wanted to in their cards which the adults signed all of "With Love from the Rabb's and the Roberts."

The next week, Harm and Mac dropped all of the boxes off at the designated location smiling, "You did good, Marine."

Mac smiled back up at him, "We did great, Sailor. I'm just glad that we could help and create a new tradition for both of our families. I'm already looking forward to doing it again next year."

Harm plants a loving kiss on her lips, "Me too. It's the spirit of giving that matters most, and between us we have a lot of love to give."

The End

A/N #2: I wanted to get this story out a little earlier, but time just didn't allow it. Operation Christmas Child donation week is usually every year in the middle of November. Unfortunately, tomorrow is the last day for drop-offs this year, but it is always something you can keep in mind for future years. I always do my labels online so I can follow where my boxes go, and it's amazing to see all the places that they have. Happy Holidays everyone.