The True Spirit of Christmas

Fresh from her University studies, and out in the world, Summer Forster was as bright eyed and bushy tailed as everyone else in her graduating class. She was nearing the end of her first year as a fully fledged social worker. It was nearing Christmas, her favourite time of the year. For her Christmas had always been filled with as much joy and merry as was humanly possible.

Unfortunately for Summer, thus year was to bring a rather rude shock. And a bit of a wake up call. Because this year was the year she learnt that not everyone shared the same magical view of Christmas that she did. In fact, for most of the clients she worked with, Christmas was a time of great sorrow and heart ache. For some, Christmas brought memories and longing for lost loved ones. For others, it brought sadness for those who couldn't make it home. For some, it was a time of frustration and anger, for they could not afford such luxuries as gifts and special food to celebrate the day.

It was only upon witnessing such frustrations and sorrows that Summer realised just how privileged she was. Never had she gone without. Never had her family gone through struggle just to give her a nice Christmas. The Christmases of her childhood, every Christmas up until now had been worry, stress and carefree. It had been a cheerful time when everyone came together to sit, talk, laugh and be merry.

Not only that but she noticed that out in the wider world, people started to become increasingly stressed and rushed. Suddenly, she understood why it was known as 'the silly season'. Why such a term as 'Christmas crazy' existed. The local shopping centres were packed to the brim, their carparks so full that some were parked illegally. There were more traffic jams and hold ups, more angry beeping of horns than was usual.

And then, there were people like Summer, whose excitement and joy at the season seemed only to heighten the anger of some, a great disappointment to her. Usually, happiness was infectious. So why not now? Of all the times when everything should be cheerful, everyone joyful, why was the merriment not catching?

Why? Because the harsh reality is that for many, the joy of Christmas is overshadowed by stress, worry, frustration and sadness. Christmas was a time when suddenly, everyone was in a rush. There were pressures, for gifts, and food and for the 'perfect' day. The more Summer though about it, the more it made sense.

Buried deep beneath all of that was the spirit of Christmas. Of giving to others. And so, Summer vowed, from this Christmas on, to lend some of her cheer to those less cheerful. She vowed to be a beacon of peace at a time when so many were anything but. But, she vowed, she would never push it on anyone to enjoy Christmas as much as she did. Never would she try and pressure someone into being joyous when for them, there simply was no joy. But she hoped that by lending some of her own joy, some of her own peace and cheer that maybe it would rub off on a few people, make the season a little better for them and bring some much needed merriment to those who needed it the most.