Toys for Tots donations set record
Au contraire, my friends, Christmas lives on.
While Christmas Day has passed, the 12 days of Christmas live on — as does the community's Christmas spirit.
But what are the 12 Days of Christmas, you ask. Beyond a chance to celebrate focus even more attention on all that is good and wonderful in the world, a chance to celebrate the reason behind the season and to, maybe, extend that joy and magic just a little bit longer in a world where it’s all too easy to focus on the negative.
Regardless of what they are (more on that in a moment), I’m just glad there are 12 — more days to celebrate the goodness of the world, more days to remember what’s really important in life, more days, well, to celebrate Christmas.
According to whychristmas.com, the 12 Days of Christmas have been around since before the Middle Ages. Beginning on Dec. 25 — Christmas Day — the website notes that the 12 days continue until Jan. 5, also known as the Twelfth Night.
A time of celebration, the 12 days each mark a feast day for a saint and/or have different celebrations.
The days are, the website, explains:
Day 1 (Dec. 25) — Christmas Day celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.
Day 2 (Dec. 26) — St. Stephen’s Day celebrates the first Christian martyr.
Day 3 (Dec. 27) — The day pays tribute to St John the Apostle.
Day 4 (Dec. 28) — The Feast of the Holy Innocents is a day when people remember the baby boys killed when King Herod was trying to find and kill the infant Jesus.
Day 5 (Dec. 29) — St. Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury in the 12th century, who was killed in 1170 for challenging the king’s authority over the church.
Day 6 (Dec. 30) — The day pays tribute to St. Egwin of Worcester.
Day 7 (Dec. 31) — The day honors Pope Sylvester I, one of the earliest popes (in the 4th century).
Day 8 (Jan. 1) — The day honors Mary, the mother of Jesus
Day 9 (Jan. 2) — The day honors St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, two important 4th century Christians.
Day 10 (Jan. 3) — Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus recalls when Jesus was officially “named” in the Jewish temple.
Day 11 (Jan. 4) — St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American saint, who lived in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Day 12 (Jan. 5, also known as Epiphany Eve) — The day pays tribute to St. John Neumann, who was the first Bishop in America.
Whether you are a person of faith or not, having more days to practice the spirit of Christmas is very much a good thing.
The goodness of the world can be seen in how many donations have continued to come in for the Sandpoint Lions' Toys for Tots campaign. In the past few days, donations totaling $4,664.12 have come in for the annual Christmas campaign, bringing the total for this year's drive to $76,631.58 — a new record.
Today's generous donations come from Sagle Conoco, $163.18; Residents at Alpine Vista Senior Apartments, $235; anonymous, $100.94; Byron & Kelly Ruen, $1,000; Carol and Anthony Giusto, $300; Taylor and Sons, $500; Brenda Bush, in memory of her sister, Vicki Carleton and her mother Carol Bradetich who both passed this year and will be greatly missed, $300; Tervan, $50; Idaho Club, $815; Larry & Linda Bergo, $300; anonymous, $25; Donald Butler,$200; S. & B. Wilson, in memory of our son Todd Serve Wilson, $300; anonymous, in loving memory of Liz Murphy, who was a very giving soul, $50; Donald and Shirley Moore, $75; Earl Oatman Jr., $100; Doris Nuss and Kevin Reynolds in loving memory of Orville G. Nuss, $100; and Michael and Mary Hutter, $50.
To everyone who donated, from monetary donations to toys, thank you. You are all truly amazing human beings and are what make this community the special place that it is.
So kick back and enjoy the holiday a little bit longer and if you want to keep going past the 12 days, I say go for it — and maybe put a reminder in your phone to remember next year's Toys for Tots drive so they can keep the season going and ensure Christmas 2022 is a merry one for all.
Information: Sandpoint Lions Club, 208-263-4118