What a sprinkle of generosity and a smidgen of love can do at Christmas

This is the merriest and brightest festive time of the year: Christmas!

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, since it is that time when my family would be home.

We would decorate the Christmas tree, watch Christmas movies, cook the most special dishes together, share nostalgic stories at the dinner table, and work really hard to hide the Christmas gifts that we bought for each other while casually saying that we were unable to get gifts this year — just for that magical element of surprise under the Christmas tree on the 25th!

For me, the sparkle of Christmas lies in sharing the jolliest holiday with my loved ones.

It's now two years that I haven't seen my family, and Christmas is that time when I really miss home.

Nonetheless, I acknowledge my privilege of having the means to be my own Santa and celebrate the holiday as I wish.

Recently, I read an article in which someone from the Single Parent Association of Newfoundland and Labrador said something along the lines of this: Children don't understand when Santa is on a budget.

I immediately sent the director an email expressing a small Christmas kindness idea that was positively received.

SPANL was founded in 1987, and its objective is to provide supports for single parents, enabling them to regain control over their lives for the empowerment of themselves and their children.

I decided to gift 100 cute little Christmas boxes of chocolates and Christmas notebooks to the association. My hope was to fill the little Christmas boxes with the sweet spirit of Christmas.

Finding the spirit

When I was a child, I tried really hard to not fall asleep on Christmas Eve so I could see Santa Claus placing my presents under our Christmas tree. I would always search the skies on that day. Every child deserves the magic of Christmas, for it's the light in a child's eye that makes the holiday twinkle bright.

Perhaps the Christmas spirit goes beyond hot cocoa, freshly baked cookies and candy canes.

Maybe what really lights up our Christmas trees is a sprinkle of generosity and a smidgen of love.

Not everyone has the privilege to fully experience the holiday cheer, and these past two years through the COVID-19 pandemic have been challenging for so many of us.

This Christmas, let's spread a little sparkle if we can. It is not about how much you are giving but rather how much love and good wishes you are putting in your kindness gift.

On this jolly note, I wish everyone a safe and merry Christmas filled with love and happiness and a Happy New Year full of positivity.

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