Christmas time can be crazy. That mad rush to buy presents, food and drink, generally undertaken in heavy traffic, heat and humidity can fray nerves and shorten tempers. But, really, in the scale of hardship, we’re pretty well off.
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A glance over world headlines in recent days confirms this. Assassination in Turkey, apocalypse in Syria, terror in Europe – they put our woes into a sharp perspective.
A global charity this week issued a statement calling on Australian parents to this Christmas remind their children how well off they actually are.
The vast majority of them have a roof over their heads, are being educated, have fresh water to drink, clean clothes to wear and functioning communities in which to thrive.
While they might not get the Xbox they wanted for Christmas or the new bike, they are actually pretty well off. Perhaps their biggest asset is the sense of security they enjoy but probably never notice.
There is much to be said for protecting our children from the searing images on nightly news bulletins. Even as adults we struggle to comprehend the violence being exacted on places like Aleppo. The sight of children shivering in the rubble as their world is pulverised should put our own perceived hardships into context.
When a child steps forward with compassion and insight we should all take notice. We often report on them. The ones who cut off the hair to raise money for cancer research, or take up collections at school for charity, or forego birthday and Christmas presents, preferring that others less fortunate don’t go without.
When high school students return from service excursions to Asia, one of the observations they invariably make is how the experience made them realise how well off they are. They become grateful for the things they had previously taken for granted.
Before it became a mad rush for retail bargains, Boxing Day was an important part of the Christmas tradition. It was when the children chose the gifts the really wanted – or, more importantly, needed – and boxed the rest up. These would be handed to those who missed out on Christmas Day.
We tend to do it in reverse nowadays, with giving trees in shops and businesses, and it is heartening to see presents go under these trees in the lead-up to Christmas.
As a community, we ought to be grateful for the generosity of those who contribute to others at this time of year.
