Christmas celebrations

With Christmas around the corner, I am often asked how families in the inner city cope with the demands of the season. There is no one answer for this, but I can tell you of Christmases past for several of the youth and families I have come to know.

For Jenica's family, Christmas is a huge deal. Parents go all out for the occasion, and a dinner of ham and turkey and every imaginable side dish and dessert is consumed with family and friends present. The children receive expensive gifts like the newest game console or wide screen TVs. Her parents will likely spend most of the holidays drunk. They believe in celebrating Christmas to the fullest at any cost. Unfortunately, the cost is high. Two years ago, they lived without heat or running water for the rest of the winter as bills were left unpaid. One year, their father faced jail sentence as he was caught stealing the Christmas gifts. The day may be merry, but the after effects are not.

Tammy's family is a little more realistic: they have a household of children and last year she told us she was praying for their family to receive a Christmas hamper. The deal in their family was, if they were given a Christmas hamper with enough food to last the holidays, all the kids would get a present on Christmas day. If not, only the youngest three would. The older kids all agreed that was important, but Tammy, one of the older children, prayed earnestly that God would give them a food hamper. Without ever applying to the food bank, they were given three hampers with more than enough food and gifts for the holidays!

Rachel doesn't know what she'll do for the holidays. She's in the care of the government right now and doesn't think they'll let her spend Christmas with her family. Her parents are not on speaking terms and neither have asked for permission to host the kids for Christmas day. Her siblings are in various foster homes across the province and won't be getting together. She is in a group home where all the other children are headed home for Christmas day. She is hoping her grandmother will be able to have her come for Christmas day, because if that falls through, she'll spend the holidays alone.

Susan's had her share of broken, empty Christmas celebrations and over the past few years has found a better solution. Her family helps out at various charity's Christmas festivities and find they are able to bless other people with their gift of time and are blessed themselves as they become recipients of numerous Christmas banquets and celebrations. They keep themselves busy for almost two weeks surrounding Christmas and in appreciation most organizations do not let them go home empty handed. She says her children get spoiled enough from the generousity of Christmas charities and so long as they are able to give something back, that's more than enough of a celebration for them!

What do you do for Christmas?

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