| As soon as the leftover candy hits the 50 percent off rack, it’s time for The Holiday Season, and it is upon us now in force.
This all-encompassing designation for the months of November and December covers everything from Halloween to New Year’s Day and all of the holidays in between. It is a season of gluttony and excess, of diamond tennis bracelets and iPhone Xs. And in truth the months of November and December don’t have much to recommend them otherwise, so a little holiday cheer can be a welcome antidote to an otherwise cold and miserable New England winter. (Unfortunately you’re on your own come January and February.)
Yes, the holiday season is over the top. There are the commercials that clearly indicate you do not truly love your spouse unless you buy them [fill in the blank expensive item]. The multicourse meals. The light displays that cover all of your neighbor’s house and lawn, and half of yours.
But like everything else in the world, there’s a flip side to the holiday season. This is also the time of year when the emails about food drives, clothing drives, fundraising and volunteering begin to pour into the inboxes. The more cynical among us might be inclined to think that businesses pull these stunts just for the accolades, and that people are trying really, really hard to write off as much as they can in charitable donations before the end of the calendar year.
But the more cynical among us – colloquially known as “Scrooges” – are mistaken. The truth is, while community involvement and charitable contributions do, in fact, ramp up in the holiday season, the majority of the businesses and people in the banking and real estate industries are doing the same things year in and year out. The need is greater at this time of year, and so too are the corresponding efforts.
As the holiday season progresses from Veterans Day to Thanksgiving to the various December holidays, and as the end of another year approaches, don’t ignore these emails and phone calls from your peers and colleagues looking for another can of beans or an hour of your time.
If you can this holiday season, dig a little deeper into your closet for the coats you no longer wear. Buy some of that half-off candy for a food bank – and get some healthier items while you’re at it – and volunteer some of your afternoon when you drop it off. Whatever you or your company has chosen to do to give back this holiday season, do it with verve and a full heart.
From California to Boston, a lot of people are suffering in the country, for a lot of reasons. Tis the season for all of us to do what we can to help them have a bright holiday season, too.
This editorial first appeared in the Nov. 13, 2017, issue of Banker & Tradesman.
