Mom’s giving nature a legacy

Janet Lydig loved to decorate and dress for holidays, from Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day to Halloween and Thanksgiving. But Christmas was her favorite.

She knit 20 stockings, one for each family member, and proudly hung them on the mantel, a festive complement to singing Santas, dancing trees, a nutcracker collection and ornaments from around the world.

“Christmas held a special meaning to her,” said her daughter, Sharon Urlacher, describing how her mom had a deep faith and enjoyed gathering with friends and family throughout the season.

“She loved holiday celebrations. She loved life. She loved people. She was a very happy person in general and loved sharing that with everybody.”

Lydig also enjoyed giving, not just at Christmas but throughout the year. After she died in May 2013, Urlacher found a box of charity envelopes in her mom’s office.

“Giving was always a part of Mom’s nature. She was a very, very generous person,” she said, adding that though her mom gave generously and often, she didn’t want recognition for her charitable heart.

For 27 years Lydig donated anonymously to the Christmas Bureau in memory of her mother, helping needy families in Spokane have a merry Christmas. Now her family continues that tradition of giving in her memory.

The Christmas Bureau distributes toys, books and food vouchers to less-fortunate families, funded entirely by donations like Lydig’s.

Between Dec. 10 and Dec. 19, excluding Sunday, families can choose one present for each child and one book for each child up to age 14. Recipients also receive a $15 to $30 food voucher, based on family size, to buy ingredients for a holiday meal.

Last year the bureau, which is organized by The Spokesman-Review, Catholic Charities and Volunteers of America, served more than 9,000 low-income households and gave gifts for more than 15,000 children. A similar number is expected this year.

To fund those efforts, the charity needs to raise $525,000 between now and Christmas. As thanks, each donation is printed in the paper. Any amount is appreciated and about 96 percent of the money raised goes directly to fund those gifts since almost 400 volunteers help keep costs low.

“The Christmas Bureau was something that was important to our mom in memory of her mom,” said Urlacher, noting it was one of many acts of kindness her mom performed throughout the season.

Lydig also baked dozens of cookies and held an annual open house for other residents at Fairwood, the retirement home in Spokane where she lived. For many charities, she was a go-to person to call whenever there was a need.

“She donated her time, her energy and her compassion,” Urlacher said.

For Lydig’s children and grandchildren, that example of giving made an impression and has become her legacy.

“Her giving nature has impacted all of us. It gave us a sense of where we came from. We all have felt blessed and incredibly grateful for our families,” Urlacher said.

“As we face the second Christmas without Mom, we’ll be thinking about all of her quirky Christmas decorations, her traditions, and her unending giving nature.”