As we come into yet another holiday season I ask you to take a moment and contemplate “What does Christmas mean to you?” How will you and your loved ones celebrate this season of giving and receiving? To many of us the season may start by hanging our lights, decorating the yards with figures that represent the holiday. Maybe your season starts by listening to traditional music and decorating the tree. Possibly yours starts by shopping on Black Friday, or after Thanksgiving dinner. We have so many things that consume our lives for this short period of time. Sometimes, we can forget to be thankful for what we have and become so overwhelmed that we forget about those that have not.
During this year holiday season I ask that you consider taking an hour or two of your time to remember those families that are less fortunate and to do something that may directly or indirectly have an impact on them during the holiday season. You can volunteer at your local food pantry, bring canned goods and help someone who otherwise may not have that holiday meal. While you’re doing that shopping grab a toy and place it in the Toys For Tots box, I guarantee you will put smile on a child’s face on Christmas morning. Maybe you have a local homeless shelter, such as the Capital City Rescue Mission that you can volunteer to help serve a meal to person or child that may otherwise not have a holiday dinner. Go through those drawers in your dresser. We all have things that we have not worn in a year or more, donate those to someone who could use better clothes, a warm jacket or gloves. You might see a member of our armed services over the holiday in a restaurant, pay for his or her meal. Go to a local nursing home and visit with someone who otherwise may have no family and think they are forgotten for the holidays. Something as simple as taking your five cent returnable cans and bottles to your local Boy Scout Troop, they will put the monies to good use. These are just a few examples, I could list so many acts of kindness that anyone of us could do, however I ask you to take the opportunity and make it your own.
By you creating your own act of kindness during the holiday season you will have answered the question, “What does Christmas mean to you?”
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Rick Rosa, Peckham Materials Corp.