Grinch-Xmas-tree-4My buddy, Jeff is an amazing friend. He told me what he’s doing for Christmas this year, and it was so cool that I felt I needed to share it with everyone else. Rather than tell my version of the story, I felt it appropriate to have him write a guest post.  Enjoy… and leave comments on this one, he’ll like that. ;)

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Ask my wife and she will tell you that I am a “Grinch” and don’t appreciate the Christmas season. In a general way she is right.  I hate having to buy things for people that don’t need it, don’t appreciate it, or don’t deserve it. I hate that a holiday that is meant to represent and celebrate what I believe to be the greatest gift to this world, is reduced to a consumer spending spree.

Around this time last year, in an effort to be better, I was feeling the “spirit of the season.”  I decided to give a gift to all of my friends and family, instead of just the “secret Santa” gift to one of my family members.  In this endeavor I asked one of my best friends what he wanted for Christmas… I was surprised by his response.

“Do something nice for someone else.”

Really, that is it? At first I thought, that isn’t a gift to you, that is a gift to “someone” else. However, I did as he asked and gave his gift to another that was most definitely in more need.  This single experience has well and truly changed my outlook. It WAS a gift to my friend, and it was a gift to me. I have thought of the look on that man’s face all year.  He is a homeless man that lives in a park that I pass on my way home everyday.  I still do not know his name, but he recognizes me and waves when he sees me. Sometimes we even chat for a minute or two.  I know that he appreciated it. That is my friends fault.

This year, I decided to head up something else. I decided that since I and all my co-workers still have a job in this economy, we shouldn’t give gifts to one another. I organized my department and had them donate money to the local homeless shelter instead. It is a welcome success! Moreover, my firm has decided that they will match whatever we give! There is potential to sponsor this local shelter for well over a week. I had not anticipated that we would be able to do so much for someone else…

Merry Christmas Bags, you change the world more than you know.

(This is Bags again… and it’s proof that with a little effort, you really can change lives. Thanks Jeff, for being awesome!)