Individual acts of kindness help make this Christmas brighter for many

Date: 12/21/2017

I used to work with a veteran radio newsman named Richard Lavigne when I was WREB in Holyoke in the mid-1980s. Richard was a huge character, someone well known in Holyoke and had a million little eccentricities.

He was not a warm and cuddly guy. I doubt his personality encouraged such reactions. He was much older than any of us and he treated us civilly. He had seen a lot of talk show hosts come and go over his long tenure and I think that he really just didn’t bother to get to know anyone very well.

Richard also made it a habit, the five years I was on the air to wish people “the very best Christmas your circumstances allow” or something to that effect.

That never sounded very Christmas-like to me, but as I’ve grown older I understand Richard’s sentiment more and more.

The fact is not everyone can have a standard American Christmas with the decorated tree, the mound of presents, the family dinner and there is enormous pressure on people who, because of their situation can not, who can’t deliver such a holiday to their loved one.

There is also pressure on folks to be part of such a celebration, which may for any number of reasons is not possible.

That’s why I’m thankful for the many organizations and individuals who give of themselves every Christmas in the effort of making the holiday better for people, people they don’t even know.

For instance, my wife is the executive director of the Community Survival Center in Indian Orchard, a non-profit that runs an emergency food pantry serving Ludlow, Wilbraham, Hampden, and the Indian Orchard, Sixteen Acres, and Pine Point neighborhoods of Springfield and has other programs to assist people in need. The other day they received a donation of 80 stockings stuffed to the top for children who may not be getting an opulent Christmas. The two people involved in the effort are members of the board of the Wilbraham Children’s Museum and they made the contribution in honor of the late AJ Arnold.

The donation was completely unexpected, but will undoubtedly make a difference this holiday to a child.

That act of kindness is multiplied many times across our region by people seeking to actually make the holiday a moment of relief from their daily struggle. I’m sure you may belong to a church or club or organizations that tries to lift someone burden a bit during this time of year. Thank you for your efforts.

You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch

In an effort to change the narrative a bit this year, we actually gave our two youngest grandchildren much, much less.

Am I a Grinch? Well, I’ve been accused of that in the past, but this year my wife in her wisdom thought it would be better to have experiences with the kids – ages five and nine – rather than pour a bunch of toys in their laps.

Have you ever seen that glassy-eyes look from a kid as you urge them to open the next present? After a while they’re not too sure who has given them what, which is the exact opposite reaction adults want to see.

We bought them several presents each, items they said they wanted. We know they will like their gifts and we plan to actually do more things with them.

I keep reading Millennials would rather have an experience than own an object. Perhaps that what we’re encouraging for them.

Thanks, Chris!

I want to close out with a word or two about Chris Maza, our assistant managing editor, who is leaving Reminder Publications after a tenure of seven years. Chris is a great journalist whose work has improved our publications and just an all around nice guy. He will be missed by all of us here and I wish the best of luck at his new position.