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by Jennifer Grant, Member
This article originally appeared in the December 2003 issue of Technically Write.—Editor
The first year I worked at the Denton Public Library, the staff decided that we must have a white elephant gift exchange as part of the usual office party festivities. I never liked white elephant gift exchanges. I went home with a coffee mug, and I don't even drink coffee. No one received a present that they actually liked.
All I could think was that while we were passing around unwanted junk, somewhere else parents were disheartened because they couldn't afford to buy their children one single toy for Christmas.
So this is my suggestion for all of those lucky enough to be taking part in an office Christmas party: Be thankful that you have a job, and take the initiative to share your good fortune with others. Instead of the usual office gift exchange have everyone bring a new, unwrapped toy and donate the collection to the local Toy Drive. Or even bring non-perishable food items for the local food bank. If your office is small, try adopting a Salvation Army angel and have each person responsible for an item of clothing.
I think you get the idea. Feel free to be creative. But don't be blind to the reality of hard times.
With the economic downturn and numerous layoffs, this Christmas will be difficult for many families. Unfortunately there is not enough Christmas assistance to go around. Charitable funding is down, and in Denton, HELPNet, the center for Christmas assistance, is completely gone.
You might wonder why I feel so strongly about helping others at Christmas. I'll take you back 15 years. When I was seven years old, my dad was laid off. My parents lived of savings, but Christmas gifts would have exhausted their financial resources. The only presents I got that year were from the local Shop with a Cop program that still operates in Denton today. At the time, I never knew how close I came to waking up Christmas morning and finding nothing but air beneath the tree.
By the next year my dad was working again, and life went back to normal for the Grant household. But when Christmas came around, my family was first in line to make toy and food donations, and no member of my family walked past a red tin bucket without dropping in spare change.
If you want to believe that you can't make any difference to the widespread problem, then you're probably right. You can't save Christmas for everyone. But somewhere there is one young child who will love to unwrap the toy you donated, or one mother will warm up the canned vegetables you provided.
So, if you are one of the more fortunate this Christmas, then take the time to be thankful, and share what you have with others. Even a small donation can make a big difference. You will probably never see the appreciation, but it's there, and it makes a difference for a long time.