Every year since 2010 I’ve done a series of December diaries focusing on a variety of seasonal topics — from music to food to ugly sweaters. In the interest of full disclosure, I did do ONE Seasonal diary in 2008, and 2009 was the first December K2 was with us, so I was a little distracted :-)). It’s time to do it again! I want to be clear that while my December perspective is primarily a secular but culturally Christian-based one, these diaries are NOT meant to be siege locations in the War On Christmas; ie Everyone’s Holidays Are Welcome Here! Grab your favorite warm beverage (as commercial eggnog is now ::sob:: off limits forever, until we perfect a low-carb homemade version I’m having a mug of Bigelow’s Eggnogg’n Tea with a splash of heavy cream and a bit of nutmeg grated on top) and join us below the Story fold, after a word from our sponsor...
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The period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day always seems to be one in which the practice of volunteerism and charity is ramped up. My local community facebook page has a fairly constant stream of “Does anyone know of a food bank/soup kitchen/nursing home where my kids and I can donate/volunteer/serve dinner/visit/send cards this month/on Christmas/during school vacation?” The local newspaper is filled with stories of people doing good works and helping out all through the community. Turkeys, food, clothes and toys are donated, cookies are dropped off, and children are shepherded through the process of “Learning The True Meaning Of Christmas”.
Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate every effort people make to do good things for others. There is a vast need for food, warm socks, blankets and pet supplies. Charities need donations of time, money and supplies. And children DO need to experience helping others, because how else do they learn unless they’re shown and encouraged?
BUT…
Those things are all needed the other eleven months of the year, too. Food banks have the same number of clients in April, or September. Children dependent on school breakfast and lunch need food in July, too. Pet shelters need to feed pooties all year, and those in nursing homes and hospitals appreciate being thought of all year long. And our focus on being “charitable” and “good” in December feels eerily like getting in good with The Universe/Santa/your parents, or a way to rationalize being deserving of presents.
I was part of a discussion online about Unitarian Universalist Christmas history and traditions, and while I didn’t take notes and will need to wait for the podcast, there definitely was a connection between attempting to influence the morality of children and encouraging generosity during the Christmas season.
Casa Brillig tries very hard to be “good” twelve months a year. While we do the vast majority of our charitable giving in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, that’s in large part because we’re all home and we decide how much we have to give, and where to divide it. We try to pick up an extra item or two every time we grocery shop and get it to a food pantry, and once a year our church youth group does an overnight program with a group that helps people experiencing homelessness, and we make a large purchase of socks, warm clothes, etc to donate there.
For those of you who aren’t culturally or religiously Christian… do you feel the need to be “especially” charitable during this period? Do you have traditions surrounding volunteering or donating goods, services, or cash? Do you concentrate on other times of the year, or equally all year?
One of the best parts of writing Top Comments all year, and not just in December, is getting to collaborate with BeninSC for formatting. It makes this wonderful community diary series that is my dKos home even more enjoyable.
Brillig's ObDisclaimer: The decision to publish each nomination lies with the evening's Diarist and/or Comment Formatter. My evenings at the helm, I try reeeeallllyy hard to publish everything without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down.
Note: Especially during this passionate primary season, please remember that comment inclusion in Top Comments does not constitute support or endorsement by diarist, formatter, Top Comments writers or DailyKos. Questions, complaints or comments? Contact brillig.
From Lisafr:
Is this comment by stellaluna, with thoughts on some of the factors pertaining to this presidential election, and future ones, for our party.
From BeninSC:
I was pleased that DocDawg visited last night’s Top Comments diary, and that he posted this comment in there! Please also visit his fine followup diary, thanking all of the people I missed last night! And his followup diary about a bad news possible unintended consequence of One Term Pat’s defeat. Let’s hope it does not come to that.
Highlighted by jan4insight:
Is this comment by bfitzinAR promoting some links for gift ideas from Kossack artisans! Patronize these wonderful folks! And check out the items in jan’s store, in the comment just below!
Highlighted by Jules McGee:
Is this comment by tote on some of the problems with the attempt to undermine Keith Ellison in the campaign for DNC chair.
Is this comment by Captain Frogbert on the ‘Post-Truth’ era, and historical Republican contributions toward that miserable end.
Top Mojo ala mik!
For Monday, December 5, 2016, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on the subject.
2016-12-06, courtesy of jotter!