Christmas spirit survives burglary

Published 9:00 pm Friday, December 19, 2003

EVERETT — The burglars couldn’t ruin Christmas for the Hawkins family.

Sure, they knocked over the Christmas tree and ripped open all the packages, ransacked the Hawkins’ home and took more than $5,500 worth of gifts, money and household items.

But the family refuses to let them take the joy out of the holiday.

"At first, you just want to be negative, to just take the tree down and take it all away. But that would be letting them win," Charlene Hawkins said Friday.

Instead, she, her husband, Russ, daughter Megan, 18, and son Zach, 17, put the tree back up and re-wrapped the presents that were left behind.

The burglars who broke into their home in the 1900 block of Lombard Avenue on Dec. 16 were choosy, Charlene Hawkins said. They opened every gift but only took the priciest — the digital camera, the printer, the name-brand clothes, she said.

They left behind a weather station the Hawkins’ kids got their parents and a recording of the rosary being said.

The burglars weren’t able to take Christmas gifts for their oldest son Jason, 20, who is serving in Iraq. Gifts for him and his platoon already have arrived there.

The Hawkinses are disappointed that the Iraqi money Jason Hawkins sent home was taken.

"He wanted us to give them to the people who have been supportive of him and sent him packages," Charlene Hawkins said. "They were a keepsake."

Their son’s DVDs and Sony PlayStation were stolen, plus tools, $1,500 from a truck they had recently sold and other items.

"At least nobody was hurt," Charlene Hawkins said. "My kids have been pretty good about all of this. We’re just trying to get over it and go on. It’s not going to make much difference if you boohoo about it."

Reporter Katherine Schiffner: 425-339-3436 or schiffner@heraldnet.com.