My mother was a wonderful baker. Every Christmas holiday, the aroma of fresh baked bread filled the air as she made gifts for the “front-line workers” in our lives. When I was young, the “front-line workers” included the rural postal carrier, Mr. Heatwole, who delivered mail in his own car, the school bus driver and various teachers in our schools. As a young child, I always wondered why our mother would want to give a gift to the postal man. However, Mr. Heatwole was an important service employee; he daily drove his Rural Route #1 for 30 years. I was fascinated that he drove while sitting in the middle of his front seat so that he could pass the mail to the boxes on the passenger side of his car. (I always wanted to try that.) Mr. Heatwole smiled which he got the loaf of bread. I guess it is those “Gifts from the Heart” that make things worth it. The “front-line workers” have changed over the years, but the idea of showing appreciation for their unpublicized work is still the same. So, let’s make “Christmas Wreath Bread.”