Holidays 2011

I don't like to sound like a grinch, but it bothers me that some stores had Christmas stuff for sale in mid September and even more are displaying some of it along with the Halloween stuff now.

Yes, I know stores get most of their income from holiday purchases and, in this economy, they want to make all they can. (Actually they've probably always wanted to do that.) But it's only October.

Christmas has become so commercialized it's a problem to keep children from becoming greedy at this time of year. While I must admit that I wouldn't mind making a bit more money myself, I really hope some kids who read or hear my Christmas book about Saint Nicholas, Secret Service Saint, will be inspired to focus on giving and helping others rather than how much stuff they can get.

Choosing a Charity

Dozens, if not hundreds, of organizations are collecting donations of money and helpful items for the people of Haiti. Most of us would like to help even if we can't afford to give much, but how do we decide which organization to use?

Of course some of the groups are well known, but does that mean they're the best places to give? Not necessarily. I'm not implying that the charitable organizations are dishonest, though some, especially new ones, might be. But some of the big groups spend so much on overhead expenses like paying a large staff, a lot of office space, extensive advertising, etc. that only a small portion of donations actually reaches the people who need help. Someone I know from Haiti suggests giving to the Lambi Fund www.lambifund.org because nearly all the money they take in goes directly to the people of Haiti. However they aren't involved in emergency assistance and any donations to them will be spent to help the country recover when the emergency situation is over.

It takes time to research an organization to be sure they're legitimate and that the donations will be used in the most practical way. If you don't have time to do that please don't let it discourage you from giving. If the charity is legitimate at least some of your gift will be spent as needed and every little bit helps. If everyone in America gave just one dollar the total amount of donations would be in the millions.

And this is a wonderful opportunity for parents and teachers to help children learn the importance of helping others.