This may sound strange to some of you. I grew up in NYC, and only moved all the way cross country 4 yrs ago.
For some reason, I was reminded of the homeless and how we used to pass them everywhere, church steps, the sides of a building, under a bridge. Sometimes their cardboaard boxes would be saturated by the snow, but they still layed there with all their layers on.
Anyway, I used to love handing out gifts to them, whether food, clothing, blankets. Sometimes if someone asked for something I took the time to take them to the store to pick out something to eat. You can imagine the store clerks looks.
I live in a place where their is homeless, but it is not visible in that way, and not even a 10th of what I've seen. So, I am really missing this part of a big city, NYC. (I've been to Hawaii where they are given a park and nice tents, and bathroom facilities)
Since this holiday is about the birth of Jesus, I am reminded that He is in everyone (I apologize if it is not your faith - I myself is Jewish) I am reminded that I cannot turn away someone because that is Jesus watching me in disguise. I prefer to believe and know I didn't need to then not to believe and know I should have.
This is why I don't celebrate christmas, it's turned into buying gifts, large gifts, alot of food. To the point that we have renters that would rather not pay their rent so they have money to purchase gifts mostly for their children.
The best part is it brings people together. The chatter, the laughing, the breaking of bread, passing food around the table. I have no family and I miss the familiarality of it. I miss my parents.