During these last few days before Christmas, we re all in a frantic rush to buy something. The backdrop that frenzy is a quiet demonstration of peace and good will. An impressive amount of charity takes place very privately, and even the most cynical among us admit that the spirit of the holidays is at least as responsible for the pervasive generosity as year-end tax deductions possibly could be. Local organizations have made an art of collecting gifts and distributing them to those who need them most. Tremendous amounts of work and coordination are involved and should be recognized.
Shoppers add a little extra to their baskets to contribute to good causes.
It s also a time of sharing warmth. As the weather grows colder, cast-off coats, hats and gloves are matched with people who don t have their own. When we step outside, we all ought to remember that for some, getting warm isn t simply a matter of turning up the heat. That s a blessing most of us take for granted. Perhaps we ll appreciated it more as natural-gas prices take another leap upward, but turning the thermostat down to 65 degrees or even 60 isn t quite the same as living in an appliance box under a bridge.