For the third year in a row, a Winnipeg mom and her six-year-old son spread Christmas cheer by delivering handmade ornaments to their neighbours and friends.

The tradition started in 2020. During that time, Sabrina Gamey and her son, Spencer, who was three years old, felt isolated. Her son, who was born with a rare genetic deletion, was immunocompromised and unable to get out much, so they began doing various activities to keep themselves busy. This included painting ornaments.

In that first year, he ended up painting 200 ornaments. 

"It was a lot of time inside our little bubble. It was a crummy year, and they just kept putting out more restrictions, so we thought, why don't we give these out to our neighbours on our street to make them smile, which he loves."

That tradition has continued ever since, and now involves the entire family. His most recent delivery happened Dec. 9. 

"Sending out a Ginormous THANK YOU to our amazing neighbours!! The delivery of Spencer's Xmas ornaments was another huge success," said Sabrina on Facebook. "This tradition, which began due to the pandemic, is something near and dear to our family's hearts. And each year, it just gets better."

She said many of the neighbours were waiting so they could meet Spencer and thank him.   

"We even had one neighbour drive to find us because they had missed us when we stopped by."

Some neighbours even left surprises in their mailboxes for Spencer. 

"Treats, cards, ornaments, and little gifts. One family made custom 3D-printed ornaments for him and his sister. Another neighbour made him a beautiful tipi ornament, a cute Santa and snowman ornament as well," said Sabrina. "This was never expected, but it sure did make my little guy feel extra special."

This year, Spencer didn't stop with just his neighbours. He ended up making enough ornaments for everyone who works at his school. He also dropped off a bag of his creations at SSCY (Specialized Services for Children and Youth). 

Sabrina says they will continue with this family tradition for as long as they possibly can. 

"When you share with others, it makes your own heart feel good," said Gamey. "If this is one thing that our family can do to bring some joy, we'll keep doing it."