*credit to John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
One of my favorite holiday songs. Particularly the line “and what have you done?”
Interestingly, Christmas isn’t my favorite holiday. Thanksgiving is. But, Christmas is when almost all the family gets together.
Tonight, three generations of my father’s side of the family gathered. The closest ones. The first cousins. Their children. Grandparents.
To me, watching the little ones smile is my favorite part. We don’t do presents much anymore at our level. We don’t need lots of “things” these days.
I prefer giving to getting now. And, I like to expand the giving in the days after the holidays.
So, I will head out to the food bank with all the extra items purchased for cookies and candy that wasn’t made. Things like butter, sugar, nuts. Add a stash of items like beans and rice and grains. Stop and pick up some “on sale” foods, now that the holiday is past. This is the time the food bank can use items. After that holiday rush of giving.
Plus, I will compensate for those new items we do get, like the scarves and sweaters. I will do another run through the drawers and the closets looking for warm clothing to add to the St. Vincent de Paul bin, down at Kendalls’ hardware store.
The holidays are special. Let’s keep the remainder of the year, and beyond, just as special.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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AnnieRie Unplugged 
Thanks for the blog. Lots of fun to read and lots of good ideas. Many blessings to you and yours in 2014
You’re welcome!
Happy Holidays to you too. We keep up with y’all on Facebook. Love the choir pictures.
Was thinking again yesterday about that post on HoCo Rising, using tax deductions to determine how charitable we are in Howard County. I was thinking about how much we do, what I take to food banks and clothing I take to the Salvation Army, items to the animal shelter, donations to Hero Dogs in Olney (they train dogs for disabled military personnel). I never claim any of it on taxes. And many of us in Howard County do the same. We just give of things or time without thinking about declaring it on our taxes, that isn’t why we do it. (I was mentally going over the things I wanted to take over to the Salvation Army thrift store next week, that’s what started me back down this path.)
I guess looking at tax deductions is the only concrete way to count charitable deductions. But it isn’t the real picture of how charitable Howard Countians are, not by a long shot.