Holiday Perspectives

Has your point of view ever changed about something? My point of view of the holiday season has definitely changed since my trip to South Africa. The holiday season is coming, and I am sure it is an extremely painful time for people everywhere who are homeless because they have nothing to give to their family and they have no home to decorate. Also, they cannot get together with their family members.

People who are homeless know there are families with homes who are going to get presents to open, have lights up on their houses, and have a special meal together. It feels like people get so wrapped up in shopping, buying presents and making their own holiday plans. It’s easy to forget about people who are less fortunate than they are. In fact I think it’s difficult to imagine what they may feel.

One change I plan to make this year is not to ask for as much as I usually do for Christmas because I know there are other kids who are getting less or nothing. When I think of those kids, it makes receiving gifts less enjoyable for me. This year I would like to give more gifts than to receive.

Recently, I celebrated my 12th birthday and instead of my friends bringing gifts for me, I asked them to bring gifts for kids for the Toys for Tots Drive. My friends did an awesome job bringing fantastic toys for kids of all ages and I know the kids in need will appreciate them.

Sometimes I think fortunate people buy so many things that they don’t need. They worry about having enough presents for their families and buy way too much. I also think people shop and see things that they think someone in their family would love and just decide to buy it even though they weren’t planning to buy it. It’s too much!

I heard on a NPR news report about stores opening earlier for the Black Friday specials and wonder why. It’s shocking to me to learn that stores are going to be open on Thanksgiving Day! I can’t imagine anyone wanting to shop on that special holiday! People should spend Thanksgiving with their families and friends because it’s a holiday to celebrate what we are thankful for. They shouldn’t be spending time buying gifts but should be spending time being thankful with their families.

I feel sorry for people who have to work on Thanksgiving Day to keep the stores open too. They should also be at home with their families. I’m sure if they didn’t go to work then they might be afraid they would get fired. I feel like stores being open on Thanksgiving and workers having to go to work is a sad problem.

This holiday season I want to challenge myself to do more things for other people. I want to be more thoughtful about giving gifts and not buying too much. I might try and make more gifts that are personal than buying gifts. I hope others remember people in need this holiday season and also refuse to buy too much and to shop on Thanksgiving Day. 

        

           

           

            

Audrey Ray

Audrey Ray is a sixth-grader at Bay Middle School.

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Volume 5, Issue 24, Posted 9:48 AM, 11.26.2013