The Real Meaning Of The Holiday's!

Nothing beats the smell of fresh baked gingerbread, the decorations glistening throughout the house... There is nothing like family and friends sharing fond memories of times gone by... While snow gently drifts outside and lays down a blanket of sparkling white wonder we remember our childhood and how special this season really is. Whether you Celebrate Yule, Christmas, Hanukkah, Eid or the numerous other wonderful religious celebrations the one thing we all have in common is Family and Friends!

At our house we celebrate Yule (the Winter Solstice) and we educate our children with facts about where this distorted image of the red and white coca-cola "Santa" really came from. Who the real St. Nicholas was and what he stands for today. In Europe St. Nicholas day falls on December the 6th and has nothing to do with the traditional "Christmas" which is celebrated on the eve of December 24th. (In Europe children open presents on the eve of the 24th not on the morning of the 25th as they do here in Canada and the US)

Story of St. Nicholas http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=38
St. Nicholas Celebration's Around the World http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=76
Saint Nicholas and the Origin of Santa Claus http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=35
Santa Claus and St. Nicholas http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=36
Santa & Coca-Cola http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/heritage/cokelore_santa.html

To us it has never been about the presents. It has always been about good will and helping the less fortunate. I remember as a teenager I volunteered at St. Francis' Table in Toronto to help feed the hungry. The feeling I got by sharing stories, and knowing that I had made a difference was something I carry with me to this day. It is an experience I hope to pass onto my children as they get older. During the Winter Holiday's it's easy to get caught up in the consumerism of the 21st century and forget those who are less fortunate.

When I lived in Toronto I would go out and buy gloves, scarves and hats and walk along Yonge St. and side streets giving them out to the homeless. As a Bachlorette in a one bedroom apartment on a Receptionists fixed income I still saved money throughout the year for the needy. I would keep my change and empty it into a jar, then come winter I would have enough money saved to buy hot dogs from street vendors and give it to the homeless on the street. I would talk to the people and give them hope, a smile, and some kind words of encouragement. This to me was what the Holiday's were really about!

"The Magic of the Season" to me was the glimmer of hope in the eyes of those I had a chance to meet. The children who came with their parents to St. Francis' Table to have a hot meal and to be among other children who were going through the same thing. The real "Magic" came from the smiles, the tears of joy and for me personally my new point of view and the new-found appreciation for the things that I myself was lucky enough to have. This is the "True Magic" of the Season I hope to pass onto my children as they grow. The wisdom to know what the season was really meant to be, to offer hope, a new beginning, a chance to touch the lives of those who need our help. To see the smiles on the faces of children and to see the tears of joy in the eyes of the elderly as we donate our time and money to what really matters.

I think people often forget about traditions, even creating new one's for the next generation to enjoy. We seem to be caught up in the dollar amount and the newest gadget. With children stomping, whining, and demanding that they get what they "want"! The commercials are constantly bombarding their little brains with images and flashy new toys. I see parents running around the mall with their little one's with bags of things they have just bought. Yet they go right past the Salvation Army Charity Donation boxes without a second thought. We spend hundreds of dollars on groceries and yet we say we "can't afford" a couple of boxes of cereal or canned goods for those who are in such desperate need of supplies.

Why? Why is it that the season of giving seems to be the season of selfish fulfillment? We need to not only remember the difference between "NEED" and "WANT" ourselves but we need to instill these valuable lessons in our children as well. It's easy to get lost and forget the important things in life. We work, we go home we cook, we clean, we go grocery shopping, we need school supplies for our children, new clothes as they grow. We get busy and caught up - we rarely have time to stop and really take a look at life. Life that is passing us by as if it were on fast forward. Yet for those who have nothing - it is a slow uphill climb/battle to get back to where they once were.

We forget WHY people sometimes need a helping hand to get back on their feet. I often hear people say "they're lazy" they should get a job! or "I'm not giving anyone on the street money they'll just drink it away!" Until you actually talk to some of these people first hand how do you know? Why are people so quick to judge when they really don't know the truth and facts behind others misfortune? Just recently the recession hit many people hard, many people became jobless, losing their homes, having little or no money to make ends meet. There are people who are disabled, mentally challenged, people leaving abusive situation, Singe Parents struggling to get by. I myself was a single mother for the first year and a half of my son's life! There are many reasons why people are down on their luck. Think about all the children that suffer needlessly, children who go to bed hungry, not just in third world countries but in your own community.

So this Holiday Season I hope you find it in your heart to give. Even if it's just a couple of cans of food to a local food drive - if everyone gave a can or two there would be no empty little tummy's this Winter. If we all donated one toy - we would be giving a needy child happiness & joy, hope, and the esteem they need to hang in there as their parents try desperately to piece their lives back together again. We need to relearn the meaning of "Share", "Need", "Sympathy" and "Empathy" and my wish this Holiday Season is that all of us out there will have the heart to touch atleast one life this Winter. That together we can create a family tradition worth remembering and passing on for generations to come.

We can make a difference! All we have to do is TRY!