Opinion

Think of others at this time

In case it isn’t already obvious by the decorations which have filled stores and homes, Christmas is just around the corner. Children around the world are already dreaming of what Santa Claus may bring.

Soon, people will gather with their families to celebrate this special holiday. They will laugh, sing and reminisce.

However, as fantastic as that may sound, not everyone will be doing those things. Some will spend the holidays in a homeless shelter. Others will spend the holidays inside their small homes, eating boxed macaroni and cheese, unable to afford the traditional holiday meals.

Children will instead ask Santa Claus for a new job for their parents or perhaps for a bright red bicycle they know they will never receive.

One thing that some people lose sight of during the holiday season is that it is a season of giving and sharing.

Charitable organizations are plentiful around the world, including right here in the United States. One such charitable organization is the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865. While it is an evangelical Christian organization, it helps millions of people worldwide each year, regardless of religious affiliation.

Many people have seen Salvation Army bell ringers with their red kettles on street corners and in front of businesses. That is probably the Salvation Army program that people are most familiar with.

Another popular program that will hopefully become just as familiar is their Holiday Angel Tree program. In this program, a tree is sponsored by a local business, organization or individual. The tree is adorned with paper tags with the first name and age of a needy child. People take tags off the tree and purchase age-appropriate gifts and return them to the place the took the tag from.

The gifts are then distributed to the child so that they may have something to open on Christmas.

We express our thanks to those who sponsor such things as well as to anyone who volunteers, especially during this season of giving. We also encourage everyone to volunteer, whether it be with the Salvation Army or any other local charitable organization. The small amount of time you spend volunteering can be enough to bring a smile to the face of those in need. Isn’t that worth it?

Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the editorial board.