Christmas Spirit

For over two decades, I have maintained my personal and business banking with a financial institution branch in a rural village of approximately 1200 souls. The branch is now a two hour drive from where I live but the people are special- they make a difference with their customers, fellow employees and especially their community. This Christmas, like those past, the team of eight have been busy raising food and gift donations to provide a better Christmas to a dozen families in the immediate area. Each families' requirements, e.g. sizes, gender, etc are available on small, handout inventory cards for potential donors. Throughout the year, the team does other charitable acts to make their community a better place to live, work and play. Visits to branches are not necessary today with all the virtual channels available but for myself and many others it is a priority to be there periodically to be an extended member of the special spirit that abides there.
Just think of all the possible teams across other communities, counties, countries and continents that are, or could be, doing similar charitable acts quietly and effectively in the Christmas Spirit 365 days a year.
That's what Christmas is all about.
With a vision, leadership and teamwork, many charitable opportunities can be contributed to by all who are committed and willing.
I remember one very special Christmas event where I worked in a large city years ago with a department of approximately sixty people in the head office location. Normally, the traditional Christmas lunch was scheduled at a local facility for everyone to get together for food and fellowship. This one year was different! Everyone was asked to wear casual clothes to work on the "lunch date" and at 9:00AM two school buses arrived to pick everyone up. Shoe box lunches were waiting on the buses as the unsuspecting staff headed out to the suburbs with various expressions on their faces. Finally, we arrived at this large warehouse; picked up our lunch boxes and headed inside. As the door opened a salvation army officer welcomed everyone to the central "Christmas hamper facility". After a brief tour and instructions, the team went to work for five hours non-stop packing a variety of family Christmases . There were tears of joy, laughs of happiness and an unbelievable out-flowing of love. They were living the Christmas Spirit.
Hopefully, this year around the world and at home there will be excess of that spirit to go around for everyone as more suffered from recessionary fallout and despair everywhere.
Have a blessed Christmas.

Pat Palmer | Friday, December 18, 2009 | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink