slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

The following is a letter received by the editor of the Waco Tribune this past Wednesday. I thought it worth conveying to OPP.

This is my pledge and my plea:

I apologize to my family and friends (who have everything, and then some!) this holiday season. I am not going to be getting you anything for Christmas other than my love, hugs, smiles and sincere appreciation.

Instead, I am going to give food items of canned goods and non-perishables to my local food bank. They help feel those who have nothing on their kitchen shelves.

I am going to give away all those lovely clothes that fill my closet...those I'll never wear again...to someone who will feel beautiful when she puts them on. It might even mean her getting a job or just feeling like a lovely lady. I will have my husband do the same to help build esteem in such unfortunate men as well.

We will give our sheets, blankets and covers that we 'saving' for ...what? People in our community need warmth. They need blankets, covers, pillows...and, frankly, so do the precious orphaned pets which inhabit our community. So, yes, please take your unused towels, blankets and any sort of materials to your local animal shelter this season. If they can't have human warmth, at least let them have warmth in wh**ever fashion! I am sure they won't mind the color or fabric!

And, I am going to go to the dollar store and spend a few dollars on toys. It's amazing what all sorts of toys and fun stuff you can get for just a few dollars. No child should ever be skipped because Santa couldn't afford a toy.

And, as with my work, I am going to go to a local nursing home to spread a smile and a warm holiday greeting to an elderly or sick person who otherwise would not have anyone come and visit. That's a Christmas blessing all its own!

I don't need to spend a lot of dollars this Christmas because Christ is truly the reason for the season. He has blessed me over and over again, and it's now my duty and privilege to give to others as God has given to me. And the ironic thing is that, in the end, it still seems like it's me who ends up winning.

So, may God bless. Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Happy Kwanza. Happy Holidays, and wh**ever and however you choose to celebrate.

From Mrs. Tami Segars Ott, of Hewitt, Texas...an outlying suburb of Waco, Texas. I just know she is a native Texan! :wink:

Rufus Loc: Deep South

:thumbup: Very nice slatten.

lindajoy Loc: right here with you....

:thumbup: :thumbup: Way to go and wow, just today, while going with a friend to get his tree, he had a bag of clothes to drop at the Salvation, nice, beautiful clothes I might add and we saw this man, obviously homeless....

He pulls over and says just a second to him...Getting out of his car, he hands this man the bag and $50.00....Said use it wisely and for wh**ever makes you, SIR, happy~~~You should have seen the mans face..I soooooooo love when things like that happen...

The first thing the man did was get out one of the coats, and put it on...Obviously cold..

What I loved was what he said while talking, "if he uses it for liquor, cigs wh**ever, its his to do with as he pleases...If I give it, its his"...Made me cry...So many will not give cash for that very reason..Yet, if we are giving, is it then our right to "dictate" how it is to be used?? If that is all that person in life is it our place to stop what little they do have???

no propaganda please Loc: moon orbiting the third rock from the sun

EXCELLENT way to honor Christ and celebrate His earthly birthday.

Boo_Boo Loc: Jellystone

So many people open their hearts at Christmas and it gives us all a warm and happy feeling to read those stories. But, people are not just cold or hungry at Christmas. People living in horrible conditions or on the street are not just lonely at Christmas. Old people living in nursing homes are not only missing love and honor during Christmas. And I do not know about other women, but my closet does not need reducing only at Christmas.

Each time I read a story like this, I think of A Christmas Carol, “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall thrive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!”

Don't take this wrong, I have no idea of how many people give, and not just material things all year and I am not implying that the one who wrote this letter only celebrates the meaning of Christmas once a year. It is just my thoughts, would it not be nice to be the reformed Scrooge and honour the Christmas sprit as he promised.

archie bunker Loc: Texas

This is how we handle Christmas in our family every year. We might get the grandkids something stupid, like slime, or some other annoying booger like thing that will annoy their parents, but other that; there are no gifts exchanged.
We swap hugs, and good natured barbs.

I would much rather have my family members donate their time/money helping others than trying to think of something to buy me.
Christmas isn't about gifts. It is about the gift that we have been given.
That is just my humble opinion.

no propaganda please Loc: moon orbiting the third rock from the sun

Sometimes a letter like this one does remind those who don't think of it the rest of the year, that there are people in need. SWMBO is doing a closet sorting to send some things to a poster here who needs them but at least as important is visiting the lonely people at the VA hospital, or the local nursing home just to chat share a laugh or two. Those like you who do those things routinely know how healing it is to your soul as well as the people who you share your time with.

smiling jean

This really nice, I also donate from time to time. Most of the time I donate to the Salvation Army.

Alicia Loc: NYC

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Now that's in the true spirit of Christmas giving. I do hope the families join in. Thanks. Got to go through my wardrobe now.