Acts of kindness remind us of the virtue of elfishness
Star launches its 110th anniversary Santa Claus Fund campaign
It’s not even Halloween yet, but some of the stores we’ve been in already have Christmas decorations on their shelves. For some reason, my daughter Irene, 7, was singing “Jingle Bells” at the breakfast table the other day. Her little sister Mary, 6, somehow dug a tree ornament out of the box in the basement closet where we keep them, and was using it as a toy. It feels a bit early, but the traditional rituals are getting underway.
“Remember when we delivered gifts to children who don’t have enough?” my son Colum, 10, asked. “Can we do that again?”
“Oh yeah,” Irene said. “That was so much fun. I really want to do that again.”
They were talking about the day, two years ago, when I took the two of them out for seven hours to deliver dozens of gift boxes for the Star’s Santa Claus Fund.
We drove around a few neighbourhoods right near our house, to houses and highrises and basement apartments, handing over festive boxes to grateful parents and giddy children.
As I wrote at the time, when Colum and Irene handed a gift directly to a 2-year-old child at an apartment door on Winona Dr., it was hard to tell which of them was enjoying the experience more. The truth is I remember it was a long, tiring day for them. But what they remember is the joy they brought to people, and the joy that doing so brought to them.
It obviously made an impression on my kids. For our family, perhaps, a new tradition. For the Toronto Star and its readers, a proud one.
Today marks the kickoff of the 110th-anniversary campaign for the Santa Claus Fund, which delivers gift boxes to 45,000 children 12 and under in Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga, Ajax and Pickering before Christmas Eve.
Children in need, whose parents may not be able to afford much in the way of gifts at a time of year when all children are led to expect and hope for them, have their names submitted by social service agencies. Each child receives a warm shirt, hat, mitts, a book, a toy, candy and a tooth-brushing kit.
Since 1906, Star readers have made donations to the fund to buy the gifts — this year’s goal is $1.7 million — and community volunteers including Scouts Canada, Girl Guides and church groups ensure they get delivered. It is a tradition of generosity my family has been honoured to have the opportunity to participate in, one that all Star readers are invited to join with their donations.
“The Toronto Star is proud and fortunate to be able to serve as a connection between families in need and residents who want to help bring a smile to underprivileged children on Christmas Day. Child poverty in the Toronto region remains a significant challenge and the past year has been particularly difficult for many families,” says David Holland, acting publisher and CEO of Torstar Corp., the parent company of the Star.
“I call upon our generous readers again this year to make a difference by helping so many children and families in our community to enjoy a happier Christmas.”
The fund got its start when the Star’s legendary publisher Joseph E. Atkinson asked readers to contribute to delivering 100 gift baskets to needy children through his local church. He was inspired by an episode of his own childhood: one of eight children living in poverty with a widowed mother, young Joe was once watching children skate on the pond. A lady approached him and asked why he didn’t join them, and when he explained his family could not afford skates, she bought him his first pair as a Christmas gift.
That story so perfectly illustrates the spirit of the fund, embodied in its being named after Santa Claus.
For what does the ongoing tradition of Santa Claus represent for us if not the joy of an unexpected gift, and the joy of giving such a gift.
When we are children, Santa is the embodiment of a world in which someone — a stranger — can and will do something for you for no other reason than because it will make you happy.
As we grow up, the Santa tradition brings us to the realization that if we want to live in such a world, and continue to live in such a world, then we are the someones who can make people happy, and that doing so can make us happy. It is a part of the spirit of the holiday season tradition, both religious and secular, as we understand it.
My kids are still of the age where they look forward to receiving gifts from Santa Claus — and anticipating those gifts under the tree brings them great joy.
But volunteering as delivery elves for the Star’s Santa Claus Fund has been an introduction to providing gifts, too, especially to people who might not have much under the tree otherwise — a joy they now are anticipating as well.
An opportunity for 45,000 lessfortunate children to get gifts. An opportunity for the rest of us to help provide them. For the 111th time, the traditional rituals are getting underway. If you have been touched by the Santa Claus Fund or have a story to tell, please email santaclausfund@thestar.ca.
It is a tradition of generosity my family has been honoured to have the opportunity to participate in