By John McCann

jmccann@heraldsun.com; 419-6601

DURHAM -- With a nod to the days when a good Christmas meant a couple of pieces of fruit and some hard candy, a Durham mama said this year all her family wants under the tree are the basics.

"Not nothing big," Tanessa Atwater said.

Just a few educational books and games. Some clothes. And Christmas 2009 would be just fine, Atwater insisted.

She and her three young daughters aren't homeless. But they hit a rough patch of road between August and September when the lease ran out where they were living, and it was tough finding a place that lined up with what was lining Atwater's pockets, she said.

But Atwater said she and the girls in late September moved into their own place.

"In the end we were blessed," she said.

Now to make that house a home.

Atwater works as a certified nursing assistant caring for the special population who struggle with dementia. She's the only one at her house with a job.

"I'm a single parent," Atwater said.

In the weeks before finding a new place to live, Atwater said she and the girls stayed with family and friends. And after losing household items during their moves and stuff just being old and worn out, some linens and things sure would be nice, Atwater said.

Atwater and her girls, Jalissa Willis, 12; Naomi Atwater, 9; and Kayla Atwater, 6, represent the type of families the Durham County Department of Social Services want to help through its Share Your Christmas project.

This year will make the 34th that DSS will match folks willing to give new Christmas gifts to the disadvantaged in Durham, said Dorene Seabron, the interim DSS holiday program coordinator.

The Herald-Sun later this week will begin running information on people who need help. Look for it in the metro section.

To sponsor a family, call (919) 684-1508. You could help put pajamas on Atwater's girls:

Jalissa's into Betty Boop. Naomi likes Tinkerbell. It's all about Dora the Explorer for Kayla, who spends a good bit of time in the hospital battling sickle cell anemia, her mom said.

Atwater, 33, said she was able to keep it all together during the time her family was without a home by leaning on the Lord.

"Just God," Atwater said. "Reading my Word.

"Redeveloping and renewing my relationship with him," Atwater said.

So it's about decking the halls at Atwater's house.

"We want to make it a home," she said.

A Christmas tree would help.

Of course, the working mother said she has to figure out a way to get one of those, too.