Holiday Volunteering www.hopkinsvolunteers.org

It’s that time of year again!  December brings with it such joys--time with family and friends, holiday parties, and celebrating old traditions and starting new ones.  The second that October draws to a close, it seems as though our time just slips by, and our schedules continue to pile up.  

The holiday season, with all of its joys, can also have its complications.  There is an awful lot of “stuff” that goes along with Christmas.  There are presents to buy, decorations to put up, groceries to pick out, events to attend.  There is so much activity towards the end of the year, that there are few times for quiet.  

If you think back to your most memorable Christmases, what made them special?  Did  you get the perfect present?  Did you pick out the perfect present for your co-worker?  Was your home perfectly spotless and meticulously decorated?  Did you find the best holiday deal in the store?  My guess is that these things are not particularly memorable and have faded through time.  The things that stay with us are the personal interactions, the beginnings of traditions, and perhaps the Christmases that we were humbled--when things were hard, when we were alone, but still made it though.  

This holiday season, when time is limited, I offer the opportunity to give of yourself.  Perhaps helping a family at Resourcewest pick out a book and small gifts, so families are not forced to choose between groceries and offering their child the feeling of normalcy when money is tight.  Maybe you could spark a new relationship with a school aged child who needs extra help with homework through Hopkins S.M.A.R.T.S.  Do you have a few hours to stock shelves at ICA Foodshelf?  Could you led an activity for older adults in assisted living at St. Therese?