Christmas not only time to give

Sometimes I think many of us forget there are 365 days in a year, hoping that a bit of turkey and maybe a slightly used coat will hold over those less fortunate than us for the other 364 days.

I think part of this is due to the confusion we have over what Christmas is about and how we, as a society, have perverted the observance.

It always amazes me how folks want to incorporate everything into Christmas when, in fact, the observance is somewhat specific, that being the birth of Christ. It?d be like you trying to get a free piece of cake and gifts on my birthday, telling folks you should get to enjoy all the benefits of Feb. 12 (my birthday) even though you don?t even know me or like me in the first place.

Meanwhile, fringe believers (those who get religion around the holidays and then promptly lose it after waking up amid a room full of torn up wrapping paper with an eggnog hangover) want to incorporate their warm and fuzzy, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Happy Holidays observance, which is free of religion but big into commercialism, and try to make it the one time you feel good about yourself during the year.

You know, these are the same folks who show up at church just on Christmas (and maybe Easter because mom begs them) yet they are the ones who have the biggest nativity scene in their front yard and they have a Christmas light show on their house to rival something you?d see in a Kiss concert.

Wonder how they?d feel if their kids just showed up to see them once a year, but hey, that?s more of a sermon than a column. But then again, Christmas is also the only time some folks do go to see their parents. I?m sure their parents understand they are so busy and important the rest of the year that it would be difficult for them to get by and give a hug to mom or dad.

But then what should we expect when we?re told that showing good will and kindness once a year to our fellow man makes up for us walking by them while they lie in the gutter the other 364 days a year. For many people, Christmas must truly be magic in that they think it absolves them from being selfish and uncaring the other days of the year.

It seems like for many of us, Christmas has become a target date for us to focus our good will and community service work seeing we?ve got our own lives, our own families, and our own goals to work toward the rest of the year.

If you are doing work to help others this Christmas, congratulations, but don?t expect me to come over to your house and strap a medal to your chest. Folks, the people who are hungry and cold on Dec. 25 will be hungry and cold on Dec. 26, except with 364 more shopping days until anyone lets them know they even exist. The same kid who didn?t have toys to play with on Dec. 24 will still have less than the other kids and be ?underprivileged? come April 10, July 20, Sept. 17 or any other date on the calendar you care to pick out.

I know it?s a bitter pill to swallow and a real buzz killer especially when you were about to puff your chest out by donating that old toy to charity, but folks need help on other days besides just Christmas.

Hey, Christmas is a joyful time of year, just don?t make the mistake of making it the only time you reach out and help other people because if you do, I don?t think you really understand the true meaning of Christmas.

Duane Sherrill is a reporter for the Standard. He can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].