Each year, as I am about to write my Christmas cards, I’m reminded of a December day long ago . . .

At that time, Crystal was a young lady, about 19 years of age. She had just accepted a new job in the office of a manufacturing company. She hadn’t been there too long before she met Sir Beads. Although she already had a boyfriend, she found him very charming and enjoyed talking with him. She learned he was new to the area and lived alone in a small apartment.

Crystal thought that must be rather lonely. She wondered if he ate properly or if he could even cook! Crystal was the oldest of six kids and her mother always prepared more than enough food, so Crystal began to bring Sir Beads home after work to assure he got a decent meal – sometimes!

Her family liked Sir Beads immediately. Her Mom would often scold her, though, for leaving the table to take phone calls from her boyfriend, while Sir Beads waited patiently, chatting with her brothers and sisters. Crystal didn’t see it as a problem. After all, when she met Sir Beads, she already had a boyfriend; surely Sir Beads wasn’t expecting her to be his date.

One day, as Crystal’s mother was writing Christmas cards, she asked for Sir Beads’ address. Crystal began to rattle off the street and number – but suddenly her mother interrupted:

“Wait! I want to get my address book and write it in there, too!”

Crystal laughed and said;

“Oh, Mum, don’t bother! I won’t even know him next Christmas.”

By the time the next Christmas rolled around . . .

Crystal and Sir Beads were married. Not only did Crystal still “know” Sir Beads, but she was signing his name along with her own on “their” Christmas cards.

She didn’t realize when she first met him that he was “the one”.

He, however, has said he knew from the start.