Artful Christmas Giving

Black Friday has always been a boon to retail businesses. It is their last chance to pull profits up before the end of the year. For shoppers, that day may be termed "black" for different reasons. Especially, this year with our sagging economy. We struggle to purchase gifts for Christmas and keep our own personal check books in the black. I haven't come across one person who is willing to pull out plastic in order to buy presents for loved ones. There is no guarantee of employment after the first of January. Large credit card bills are the last thing anyone needs this year. Many of us have trimmed our gift lists and charitable donations well before trimming our Christmas tree. What does that mean for organizations that count on the generosity of others at this time of year?

For every personal phone call we receive in our home we get three solicitations for charitable donations daily. Normally, we pick a couple and give what we can to help other people out. This year, we have not been able to lend anyone else a monetary hand. I don't much like that feeling of not being able to help others in need. The realization that we may now fall into that category ourselves is a bit unsettling. Due to medical issues our income has become fixed. It is not slightly stalled with the hope of a black Friday to turn things around. It is as fixed as the North Pole. Our financial terrain is not bleak by any means. It is just slightly rocky and requires careful navigation to get one end to meet the other.

The dilemma here is, we like to give at this time of year. It is as much a part of our Christmas traditions as putting on the Christmas caroles and hanging the stockings. This year one particular Christmas song stuck in my head. The Little Drummer boy beat his drum over and over again and I found myself constantly humming that tune. It started on Thanksgiving day. "Shall I play for you, pah rum pum pum pum"? It was making me a little crazy, actually. Until, I understood what was happening. I was getting an answer to my giving dilemma.

It came to me one night when I was sitting on the couch watching, "House" with my husband. (That Scrooge like doctor fascinates us and we are addicted to his addiction). As usual, I was tucked up on the love seat in my Snuggie with my knitting needles. There isn't a day that goes by without a bit of knitting. This year my new favorite project is fingerless gloves. If I know you and you have fingers, you are getting a pair of fingerless gloves! As I was knitting, pah rum pum pum pum, was playing in the background of my mind. Finally, it hit me when my brain made the connection between the knitting needles and the drumsticks. There is a little drummer boy in all of us.

It was still possible to give to less fortunate people this year. I just had to tap into my artful ways. It isn't always money that has to be given. It might be the most needed thing but other things are needed too. Something warm to wear on a cold day is also necessary. Once my knitting needles became the drumsticks of the little drummer boy that song stopped playing in my head. Thankfully!! I started on a pair of mittens with full finger coverage. Finding a place to donate them was as easy as going to Shaws Supermarket to pick up milk. There is a large barrel at the exit in which shoppers are encouraged to place donated non perishable items. I dropped in the pair of mittens tied up with a pretty red bow. That barrel couldn't have looked more like a large drum! I know that it's contents are going to Damien's Food Pantry in East Wareham. There is also an area at Damien's where one can pick up warm clothing articles that have been donated.

Giving those mittens away gave rise to a new song. Away In A Manger, had begun to play over and over again. "Away in a manger, no crib for his bed, the little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head". I jumped right on that one as soon as it took hold of me. Last night I chose a soft blue yarn and cast on stitches for an infant boy sweater. I don't think it will be difficult to find a baby boy who needs something warm for Christmas. In a few days I will be finishing up that sweater. I wonder what song Father Christmas will play for me next. I sure hope it's not "Santa Baby"!