Christians have been celebrating Christ’s birth for more than 2000 years, honoring this event by doing what God did, showering those we love with gifts. According the Biblical legend, the Magi may have started this with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, but by now, the giving of presents to show our love and appreciation of those around us has become an accepted, and expected, part of the holiday celebration. (Some might argue this tradition has simply caused Christmas to become overly secular and super-commercialized, but that’s a discussion for another time.)
But what about the practice of giving to those less fortunate?
It would be logical to think this tradition of generosity is a natural development of the true Christmas spirit. After all, Christians believe God did give the ultimate gift—his only son—to those less fortunate, all of us on earth. Those of us who grew up with Salvation Army Santas manning the kettle and ringing the bell for donations or who participated in school canned food drives or who contributed to the Marine Corps “Toys for Tots” program at Christmas were taught that such altruism was simply an extension of the real Christmas spirit. Lately, even companies and corporations have gotten into the act of philanthropy at Christmas.
Not only do they donate to the poor, but companies like Subaru, Amazon, Target and Chick-Fil-A spend millions in advertising each Christmas to promote their efforts to bring families together, to feed the hungry, to help animal shelters—in other words, to give to those less fortunate.
However, according to annuls of history, this practice of altruism has a more recent origin—though 180 years is only recent compared with twenty centuries. In mid-nineteenth century England (and much of the rest of the civilized Christan world) Christmas was celebrated mostly in small towns, where life was close and interactions were personal. In the crowded, major cities of the time, where life was impersonal and interactions often anonymous, Christmas was largely ignored.
One author and one novella changed all that. In 1843, Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol, a runaway bestseller and it became so popular, its message changed the culture. Before this, the idea of sharing your time and treasure at Christmas with those less fortunate was not a thing. But Dickens’ exposure of the parsimonious and money-hungry Ebenezer Scrooge struck a chord that still reverberates today. Slowly, in the 1850’s beginning in London and spreading outward, the idea of Christmas started to take on a different, more layered message. Not only was the holiday the time to celebrate those you love and cherish, but it also became the time of year to share your bounty with others in need. (For a more extensive discussion of this transformative Christmas tale, you might want to check out this episode of my podcast, GREAT STORIES ABOUT GREAT STORYTELLERS
It may not have as long a history but I’d argue this practice comes closer to the true meaning of Christmas than giving your wife another bottle of cologne or gifting your teen another video game. That’s why, each Christmas I select a few charities who serve those less fortunate and give them a special donation. Now I’m not rich. After all, I’m living on a teacher’s pension and I’m a struggling author, but I do what I can.
In the true spirit of Christmas, I suggest you do the same. The special charities I’ve selected this year are—
The American Red Cross
2024 saw an unprecedented number of natural disasters, from the out-of-control wildfires on the West Coast to the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene felt all the way up to North Carolina to tornados pummeling Oklahoma and Iowa. Organizations and non-profits who provide support for communities suffering from the disasters like FEMA, the Salvation Army and Matthew 25 Ministries have been stretched thin, trying to respond to all the needs this year. And this was especially true for the American Red Cross. In case you want to join me in donating, here is a link https://www.redcross.org/donate/holiday-giving/help-where-its-needed-most.html/
Feeding America
One thing everyone agrees on is that everything costs more now, especially groceries. These rising costs have hit food banks especially hard in 2024. The limited dollars don’t go as far, making it harder and harder to provide for those going hungry every day. IN 2023—the last year we have statistics—more than 50 million people in America turned to food programs and 2024 is on track to have even greater numbers. If there is greater need or better use of donations or a greater need than making sure children do not go to sleep with hungry bellies, I don’t know what it is. Here’s their link https://give.feedingamerica.org/a/donate
St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital
I can’t imagine what could be worse than learning your child has a serious health condition and realizing that on top of caring for your child, you’re facing tremendous hospital bills. St. Jude’s is one place where parents only have to worry about their loved ones…not how much it’s going to cost. It’s the hospital where parents are never asked whether they can pay. So I’m making a donation so parents can open their hearts, not their wallets. Their link— https://www.stjude.org/promotion/impact-giving
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