The final moments of November are slowly drawing nigh; the air is chilly and displays the signs of a tropical ‘winter’- with the exception of snow; stores and boulevards have already begun to line their windows and walls with tinsels, stars and a wide variety of Christmas décor, as well as preparing for the eventful month of sales ahead. The change of spirit from tensed to laidback is slowly beginning to surface. What does this all signify? The eager anticipation that is gradually growing as the ‘season to be jolly’ draws near.
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The Christmas season, or the holiday season (as some would like to call it), is indeed a special one. It is, without a doubt, the most widely celebrated holiday universally and been as it is, the last month of the year, more reasons to celebrate are added. Take a moment to stop where you are during this time and observe the activity around you: you may be shopping or buying gifts for family and friends, you may be having lunch with friends you haven’t met in a while or you may just be riding the bus back home after work. What do we see?
Long queues of vehicles to shopping malls, dressed up Santas, pavements coloured with decorations, greeting cards, toys and crackers, people running from one end to the other with bags and bags of goods. In short, it is a picture of a very active and busy society. But, there is one more scene to this picture which many of us fail to notice or pretend we don’t: hidden amidst this busy society are those who do not share the same anticipation or enthusiasm for this season as we do. Some have no families, no celebrations, no exciting, fun-filled trips to the malls and stores to buy gifts for their loved ones. Many of them are in desperate need of food or water in order to survive the day; others sit in a home, alone and forgotten, wishing they had families or that they were a part of some celebration; little orphans yearn to have a Christmas filled with laughter, gifts and a Santa Claus.
The reality is that these helpless souls are just like us, separated only by unfortunate circumstances. Due to the commercialization of this entire season, the true meaning of Christmas has often been suppressed or at times, completely buried. Christmas is not about the festivities- it is however, a celebration of love and hope: an act of love that surpassed all boundaries and gifted mankind with a precious gift. The first to witness this gift were the meek, poor and down-trodden.
There is nothing wrong in what we do, for celebrations filled with love, joy, happiness and laughter is important. But, amidst the festivities we must keep in mind the true meaning of Christmas-the willingness to give without a thought of receiving anything in return. We tend to make contributions in money or gifts; but sometimes, all they (the forgotten and unloved) yearn for is our love and time: all they hope and pray for is a Christmas that’s different- a Christmas with love.
In order to find out how STITCH hopes to make a difference this Christmas, please visit our website www.stitchmovement.com.
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