I cannot believe my favorite time of the year is already here, “CHRISTMAS.” Please take a minute to close your eyes and picture the perfect Christmas. Some may imagine the smell of fresh-baked goods filling the house, the tree glistening with perfectly hung lights, and a fire crackling as the kids play with new toys. Of course, all children deserve to smile on Christmas day. However, Christmas is the one time during the year when the focus is on giving, emphasizing the excitement in the child’s eye as they unwrap a present specially chosen just for them.
We start the holiday season with high expectations, but all too often, our quest for the picture-perfect day leaves us frazzled and stressed. As a result, the Christmas season becomes flooded with anything but joy as we race to try and find the perfect gift and open our homes to family, in-laws, and friends.
For some, it is much more than this. In my years with the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office, I have often reflected that no one calls 9-1-1 to tell us that all is well with their lives. In our routine work, we often encounter children in circumstances and environments that are heartbreaking. Many children that we interact with only know Christmas as nothing more than a school holiday. Why? Because many families must choose between gifts and basic utility needs or food, leaving little resources for presents at Christmas time for their children. Regardless of the whys, all children deserve presents at Christmas and to always remember why we celebrate.
