Earlier this week I got a pedicure and a massage and found myself complaining about how money seemed to slip away without me realizing it. I quickly heard my inner brat and realized I needed to remember that it’s the holiday season.
While I’m pouting because I am low on cash from spoiling myself, I remember that there are starving kids somewhere, as clich‹¨ as it sounds. And it made me want to do something to help someone who isn’t as fortunate as me. Although it seems as though Christmas has become more commercial now, I think it’s best if people all try to be a little more kind and generous this season.
There are so many ways people, especially MSU students, can give to others this year. Everyone from religious groups to Greek groups is giving us the opportunity to help out. These people that need help through these charity organizations aren’t expecting plasma TV’s and iPods. In fact, most of them just want clothes and toys to open on Christmas. Instead of buying something that will just give you a hangover, wouldn’t you feel better buying something that will make a child happy on Christmas morning?
Some say it isn’t their fault that these people are poor, and to an extent, these people are right. It isn’t my fault that someone spent all his or her money gambling or buying drugs, but it’s not their kid’s fault, either. Although Christmas is about everyone, I mainly think of kids who have to suffer the consequences of the mistakes their parents made.
And it makes me upset to think there are kids who think Christmas is just another day in the year because it’s no different than any other day: there are no decorations, no Mariah Carey Christmas CD’s playing and definitely no presents. Christmas isn’t about just receiving gifts, although some people would beg to differ. It’s more about giving. I know plenty of people who say that nothing feels as good as watching someone open a present that they have put thought into.
Most of us will go back home to our families for the Christmas break for a little while, and some of us have brothers and sisters who we might not get along with all the time. Being the youngest of three girls, I know it’s hard sometimes to get along with siblings and parents all the time, but I think this Christmas we should all try to.
Some people might argue that we should be more kind all year, and it shouldn’t just happen at Christmas, but that’s probably not going to happen anytime soon. Christmas is the one time of year where I’ve seen even the meanest of people get into the “Christmas spirit” and throw loose change into buckets of the bell-ringers outside of Wal-Mart.
So I think we should just suck it up when our perfect day goes slightly off-course, think of other people and enjoy Christmas while we can.