Christmas planning

Heather and I finished our Christmas shopping ages ago. Okay, it was two weeks ago, but by deliberate design, we were done by Black Friday. We stopped at the local big-box retailer today (you know the one that is so close to our home that we can smell the b.o. of the workers). The store was a madhouse. Everyone was pushing and shoving and courtesy was, I dare to say, at an all-time low. If you ever watched the Ron Howard-Jim Carey version of the Doctor Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and saw the way all the Whos were obsessing about the material side of Christmas, then you know what I saw today. We stopped to pick up a gallon of milk for Gabriel, and the Toys-For-Tots volunteers were in front of the store with a pickup trucking, accepting toys for kids. One of the guys was so friendly and gave Gabriel a candy cane and a high-five as we passed. We asked what they were running short on, and they said that the toys and gifts for poor teenagers were in short supply. So, we picked something up to donate and Gabriel got another candy cane on the way out when he wished all the volunteers 'Merry Christmas!' a half a dozen times. I think that is the best way to be charitable at Christmas, to give anonymously and not to seek glory for generosity. This time of year, everyone is so busy, and it is easy to forget that there are many others far worse off than we are at this time. We are blessed far beyond what we have ever earned from the good Lord. A thought and a gesture for those who are less fortunate is the very least I can do to give thanks.