Giving

Being the last Saturday before Christmas, let us deviate from the usual legal fare and socio political/cultural commentary and focus on the reason for the season. Allow me therefore to devote this column to a few individuals and organizations who have displayed heartwarming acts of kindness and, in so doing, have reminded us of the “true” meaning of Christmas.

*   *   *   *

Christmas is supposed to be the season of giving, not receiving. Last December 7, Northern Colorado residents — led by the organization NOCO Shares — took this advise to heart when they personally delivered approximately 350 Christmas trees to “families in need”. Indeed, for most of these families, a tree might seem like the least of their concerns, but as NOCO Shares founder Ryan Behm put it, Christmas is about happiness, and the money these families saved on purchasing a Christmas tree could go toward paying the electric bills, partaking of a nicer Christmas dinner, or buying a gift which they otherwise would have had to forego. Indeed, it is not the material gift that counts but the emotion or memory left behind that matters.

*  *   *   *

Greg Parady engineered what is being called a “modern day Christmas miracle” in a central Florida Walmart where he had been shopping for bicycles to donate to Toys for Tots. According to a business partner accompanying him, Parady overheard one lady saying she didn’t think she could pay her layaway this year when suddenly Parady approached the layaway counter and paid off her bill. “Layaway” is a payment scheme whereby the seller “lays away” the item for the consumer, sometimes for a small fee, until the item is fully paid for. It differs from installment plans in that the consumer does not immediately receive the item. It is considered safer for the consumer and for the seller. If the consumer cannot pay the layaway his money is returned (minus the fee) and the item is retained by the seller. Parady then kept on going, using his credit cards to pay off half of every layaway balance above $200. His personal debt rose to around $20,000 but he was able to help about 80 people. According to Walmart assistant manager Deb Davis, as soon as people began receiving text notifications that their layway items were already paid for, the reactions ranged from tears of joy to one lady fainting.  

*   *   *   *

Another Christmas miracle took place in Joplin, Missouri, when an anonymous $50,000 donation was given to a Salvation Army station. When counting up their totals for that night, the Salvation Army officials discovered five checks for $10,000 each wrapped inside dollar bills.  Immediately they knew they had been visited by their Secret Santa. According to Jaime Curry, they have been receiving such anonymous donations for years, always in the same fashion: checks concealed in dollar bills. He estimates that over the past ten years, their “secret Santa” has donated in excess of $500,000.

*   *   *   *

An interesting holiday surprise occurred when WestJet travellers at the Toronto International Airport —  waiting for their Calgary-bound flights—were amused by a “virtual Santa” who asked them for their holiday wishes. One child asked for a “choo-choo-train”, his parents asked for a flat-screen TV, while others asked for Android and Apple tablets. What they didn’t know (until they arrived at their destination) was that the virtual Santa was actually connected to 19 hidden cameras viewed by a team of 150 WestJet employees. As the passengers boarded, the employees got to work. So, when the travellers arrived, “carousel 8” lit up and out came their gifts instead of their luggage. The shock of actually having their wishes fulfilled moved many passengers to tears and the whole event has been circulating YouTube for about a week now. And regardless of whether the true motivation was pure or a clever form of guerrilla marketing, one cannot deny that real joy and amazement was spread that day.

*   *   *   *

In relation to activities that seek to provide Christmas cheer to typhoon Yolanda victims, International NGO Samaritan Purse’s Operation Christmas Child deserves a mention. This annual outreach sent 60,000 shoe boxes filled with essentials and goodies which are meant for the child victims. The NGO’s president Franklin Graham, son of renowned evangelist Billy Graham, had this to say during the send off ceremony of the loaded Boeing 747 at the JFK International Airport: “Do you know what these gifts are going to mean to these kids? It means that somebody loves them, it means they haven’t been forgotten. It will mean everything in the world. It will give these little kids hope.”

*   *   *   *

Let me also mention three Canadians who have volunteered to help the victims during the holiday season. For 26-year-old Aditi Rudra, this will be her first Christmas away from home. But she thinks it is well worth the sacrifice. “I don’t expect to go there and change the world in three weeks but if I can help, make a difference to somebody’s life, I guess that for me is my gift.” Her co-worker David Ang was inspired by others who have gone to Tacloban. “We’ve been blessed here in Canada with so many opportunities, so many resources and I think it’s a good it’s a good idea that we share that.” For 23-year-old nursing student Ian Mackay, he doesn’t know what to expect when he arrives in The Philippines. “it’s all pretty last minute but Christmas is a time of giving so what better way to give than to go overseas and help others.”

*   *   *   *

All of these examples serve as poignant reminders of what Christmas is really supposed to be about. It may be a cliché, yet one worth remembering: That Christmas is first and foremost a holiday of giving. It’s about putting others’ needs before your own and spreading love, joy, and happiness wherever you can. Hopefully, the snippets of real-life Christmas miracles outlined here can serve as food-for-thought during your family celebrations. Happy Christmas to all!

*   *   *   *

“Christmas is not as much about opening our presents as opening our hearts.” — Janice Maeditere

                                         Email:  deanbautista @yahoo.com