Lending a helping hand isn’t just for the holidays

Lending+a+helping+hand+isnt+just+for+the+holidays

December is a joyous month full of giving gifts, spending time with family, snow, and so much more. It is also a time where people go crazy trying to find the perfect gifts or trying to find the hot new toy item for their child. It is a month filled with families coming together, creating a number of good and bad memories. But the month of December isn’t all bad; it’s a month that makes people want to give back and help those that are less fortunate. 

This time of the year causes many people to volunteer for soup kitchens, bell ringing, Adopt-a Family and so many other community organizations. However, with this, a big question comes to mind: Why is the month of December the only time people chose to volunteer? I’m not saying it’s a bad thing for people to volunteer only one month out of the entire year, I’m just wondering why one holiday or one special month causes people to volunteer and help others, when it should just become a year-round activity.

The month of December has become the month in which we all receive gifts, but we should turn it into a month where we help those that actually need help. December should be a month where we care about giving for the sake of giving, and not giving for the sake of receiving. It seems as though the holiday season creates a special feeling, making everyone want to help others. Then, once the holidays are over, that feeling is gone. It could either be the knowledge that we are spending tons of money on our loved ones that we know are okay, or it could be guilt that we as humans don’t help other humans on a regular basis. Either way, it’s still great that we help others, but we shouldn’t only help others around the holidays. It’s just a thought that nobody thinks about or talks about; it’s one that just bypasses all of our minds. The holidays are a joyous season to spend time with the ones we love and care for, but let’s spend time with our loved ones while helping the less fortunate and welcoming strangers into a bond that those strangers wouldn’t experience otherwise.