Yet, the sad truth is that some of us aren't looking forward to the holidays. Christmas comes not as a day of ripped apart wrapping paper but as a reminder of a life that has been ripped apart. Poverty, domestic violence, a hospitalization and other losses can be magnified during the Christmas season.
Why not make a special effort to reach out to someone this year? That plate of cookies taken to the elderly neighbors down the street may make the holiday season a little brighter for them. A small gift picked up at the store can speak volumes to the recipient who needs a little extra cheer.
I have seen the magic work firsthand. My grandmother never had anything much to do with anyone outside of our immediate family. She was a crotchety old sort who managed to run off much of the family.
For several years the couple across the street brought a small box of goodies over to her. It might be a few cookies, a few pieces of banana bread or small piece of fudge. The gift wasn't much but this is a time when the thought did count. Grandmother usually talked about the gift for weeks afterward. This is the kind of magic that can happen at Christmas.
This year, let's all try to reach out to one person that isn't in our usual circle. I'm convinced that together we can make some holiday magic happen. Each step may not be big or expensive but it may be enough to make someone smile. Surely we can do that. Can't we?