For those of you that don’t know this about me, I love holidays. And birthdays. And really any event in which you can celebrate, come together with close friends and family, and be together. But I especially love Christmas.
I love all of the over production and cheesiness of Christmas too; the lights, the Christmas music on the radio, and the Christmas sweaters and decorations. (Just ask my roommates, I made them listen to Christmas music every day once it got to December.)
This year, I’ve chosen to reflect on the things I’ve never really considered before that come with this time of year. For one, it’s nowhere near as cold as it should be. It’s a little hard to get into the Christmas spirit when it’s 80 degrees and pouring rain. Secondly, I’ve started realizing what it is that I consider needs versus wants related to Christmas shopping. I’ve never actually sat down and thought about the amount of money that goes into the Christmas season, and now that I am supposed to be more money conscious, it became something more apparent in my mind.
Now don’t get me wrong, I haven’t turned into a scrooge or anything. I’m just starting to get some perspective now that I’m out in the “real world.”
I work with people who have little to nothing, and then I see this holiday in which we are encouraged to take the money we have and spend it on others. Sound like a good idea on paper, right? I love the idea of gift giving, it’s a great gesture. I love giving and receiving gifts. But how are we spending that money on others? Are we buying things that we actually need and will put to use? Or are we purchasing things that we will get bored with by next Christmas?
Think about it. How many times have you received a Christmas gift that you had no use for, one that ends up in the back of your closet never to be touched?
Just read this article about American Christmas Spending and the estimate of how much each American spends on Christmas shopping.
This year the estimate was $830. Do you know what I could do with $830? I can’t even begin to think. Put it towards Grad School savings. Go on a road trip. Get a massage. Book a cheap flight to somewhere. Donate it to Homeward Bound. The list goes on.
The three weeks in between Thanksgiving and going home for Christmas were very busy at work for me and Allison. We did two sponsored move-ins (a move-in that is sponsored by a local group or business in which they collect all of the furniture donations and household items instead of us doing it), two move-in/move-outs (bless the Four Circles boys for helping us with those), other furniture drop-offs for clients and SO MANY donation pick-ups.
This is the time of year where many people feel they should give back and do something for the community. My boss, Ashley, told Allison and I that the amount of calls she gets from people wanting to volunteer triples around this time. My friend Emily Bentley, the companion coordinator at Haywood Street Congregation, has said the same thing. And that is a wonderful gesture, but why does it have to always fall around the holidays? The problem with the influx of people wanting to help around this time of year is that, that’s not the way it works. The point of AHOPE, Homeward Bound, Haywood Street Congregation, and other homeless service organizations like these, is to build relationships with those we are working with.
At Homeward Bound for the Welcome Home Project we had such an influx of physical donations as well this year, that we had to start turning people down because we don’t have the storage space to keep everything. We are always so grateful needed donations, but AHOPE doesn’t have the capacity. One of the people who works with security, Jeff, gets on to us because we need to make sure the donations don’t create a fire hazard (like blocking the back door) which creates the struggle of wanting to keep everything we can, but there’s just no space. The problem is that we don’t have the money to fund a warehouse, so instead of giving household goods, it would be more beneficial to receive financial gifts. And when it is suggested that Homeward Bound could use a financial donation instead of physical one, it can turn people off. I don’t understand why that is.
Now, please don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to get on my high horse here and say that every one is doing Christmas wrong. I’ve just started to think about those who don’t have the $830 to spend on basic necessities, let alone Christmas gifts. I recently read one of my fellow YAVs, Taylor McLean, who is at the Boston site and she wrote a post about her job delivering gifts to those who have none. Read her post here. Though the post is short, I found it moving and really puts into perspective how the holidays aren’t always easy, but can be tough for people.
Those are just a few things that have caused conflict in my mind after taking a peek into a different world than the one I’m familiar with.
But, I feel that it is also important to remember why it is dubbed “the most wonderful time of the year.” I’m so very privileged to come from a family that showers me with love, gifts, and opportunities, so this is new for me. It is my hope that I can give back and help someone else feel the love and support that I have grown up with. I have friends, family, teachers, mentors, and more that have contributed so much to get me to where I am now.
Change doesn’t happen over night, but I’ve noticed just in the four months that I have been working with Homeward Bound that positive things are happening. There is so much hate and terror revolving around current events these days that it is easy to lose hope, but I challenge each of you to push back on that. Hug those you love a little tighter, and then pass it on. Give back to your community, say hello to some one you don’t know, you never know what a simple act of kindness can do for someone’s day.
Merry Christmas, Merry Chrismukkah, (to my fellow O.C. fans out there) and Happy Holidays to you are your’s! There is so much to be thankful for!
And the reason for the season:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
Until next time,
God is good. All the time.
ARS in AVL 