The Christmas Countdown!

It’s hard to believe, but Christmas is officially 24 days away! I haven’t started shopping, but I have decided what I am going to buy for almost everyone on my list. Although the economy is terrible this year and people are going so crazy over sales that a crowd of deal-hungry shoppers actually ripped the doors off the hinges and trampled a man to death at one store, Christmas is still coming. Instead of getting worried about Christmas this year, I am still excited and a even more compassionate. That’s why this year, instead of the traditional gifts that I usually give, I am giving to charities in the name of some of my family and friends. Not everyone will appreciate a gift like this, but I know that a lot of my family will. Year after year we all say that familiar phrase “I really don’t need anything…” but then list things that we would like to have. While that is nice and I love to give and get just like the next person, I think this economic downturn has forced some reality on us as to what excesses we really do have and caused us to realize that even in hard times we still have SO much more that others. Why not help those less fortunate get to the “I really don’t need anything” standard that we have achieved? Let’s try to stop the endless cycle of buying knick knacks and trinkets that often end up in the bottom of a toy box or covered in dust on the back of the shelf by the time the holidays roll around next year. For all these reasons, December will be a count-down of 25 ways to give back while giving to others this Christmas. *The countdown will go until Christmas, but if you celebrate another holiday, please check back daily to see to see the gift ideas as most will not be religious-based organizations.