Last year I found out that my place of employment has a program every holiday season where you can adopt a child for Christmas. You get their wishlist, which has up to 3 items on it, and get them gifts. Now, you don't actually get to see the children or anything; someone at work collects all the presents hands them over to whatever group they're working through. It's like playing Santa, but you have to imagine the looks of joy on their face... fortunately most people have good imaginations.
This was something I really wanted to participate in last year, unfortunately I had just started working after being in school (and had just gotten engaged) and didn't have the time or the money to devote to good deeds for other people. But this year I adopted not one, but two children, because why not? Their wish lists are only 3 items long at most!
I adopted a little girl and a teenage boy... I wanted to make sure that he got a Christmas too even though he wasn't as exciting as the younger kids. All he wanted was a football. All she wanted was a princess doll and a winter coat. The fact that neither of them asked for as much as they could have touched me. That the little girl needs a winter coat badly enough to put it on a Christmas wish list from a stranger broke my heart.
As a result, I may have gone a bit overboard.
After all, there is NO rule saying that you can't get them MORE than what's on their wish list. Fortunately the information given to me also included their clothing sizes.
Now, sure, this ends up looking like Christmas is about material items and buying things, but that's not what these programs are about at all. The season of giving isn't just about exchanging gifts, it's about spreading love throughout humanity, renewing hope, reaching out and touching someone who's down and letting them know that not only does someone care, but that there's some good left in the world. The spirit of Christmas is what makes December my favorite month of the year.
Sure there are the crazies, who are obsessed with getting the big, bigger, better, best gifts out there and storm the stores intent on spending money, snapping and griping at every turn... but there are so many examples of joy and selfless giving that they overwhelm any Scrooges. Some of my friends, when they found out what I was doing this year, immediately told me, "Don't get me a gift, I don't need anything. Just use the money you would've spent on me to get the kids something." Of course, being me, I had done all my Christmas shopping early and already bought their presents, but that, to me, that was a shining moment of confirmation that 1. I have amazing friends and 2. Christmas brings out so much beauty in the world.
Take a moment to look around this season, enjoy the beauty of tinsel and holly, and then look deeper and enjoy the beauty of the everlasting Christmas spirt, those little bright moments that are so often overlooked but are so beneficial to the soul.
This was something I really wanted to participate in last year, unfortunately I had just started working after being in school (and had just gotten engaged) and didn't have the time or the money to devote to good deeds for other people. But this year I adopted not one, but two children, because why not? Their wish lists are only 3 items long at most!
I adopted a little girl and a teenage boy... I wanted to make sure that he got a Christmas too even though he wasn't as exciting as the younger kids. All he wanted was a football. All she wanted was a princess doll and a winter coat. The fact that neither of them asked for as much as they could have touched me. That the little girl needs a winter coat badly enough to put it on a Christmas wish list from a stranger broke my heart.
As a result, I may have gone a bit overboard.
Now, sure, this ends up looking like Christmas is about material items and buying things, but that's not what these programs are about at all. The season of giving isn't just about exchanging gifts, it's about spreading love throughout humanity, renewing hope, reaching out and touching someone who's down and letting them know that not only does someone care, but that there's some good left in the world. The spirit of Christmas is what makes December my favorite month of the year.
Sure there are the crazies, who are obsessed with getting the big, bigger, better, best gifts out there and storm the stores intent on spending money, snapping and griping at every turn... but there are so many examples of joy and selfless giving that they overwhelm any Scrooges. Some of my friends, when they found out what I was doing this year, immediately told me, "Don't get me a gift, I don't need anything. Just use the money you would've spent on me to get the kids something." Of course, being me, I had done all my Christmas shopping early and already bought their presents, but that, to me, that was a shining moment of confirmation that 1. I have amazing friends and 2. Christmas brings out so much beauty in the world.
Take a moment to look around this season, enjoy the beauty of tinsel and holly, and then look deeper and enjoy the beauty of the everlasting Christmas spirt, those little bright moments that are so often overlooked but are so beneficial to the soul.
That is awesome!
ReplyDeleteThey do a Santa anonymous here so you get an age and a gift they would like to buy while shopping so i try and do it once a year..