Replies

Not single, but I'll add a story -- one of my favorite Christmas stories.

In high school, we did what we called Project Adoption where each homeroom class would "adopt" an elementary aged kid who suffered from "circumstances." Anyway, the last day of school before we let out for Christmas, they'd come to school and we'd have a party for them in each homeroom. Food and gifts galore -- they could open theirs (we'd have a list of their info) and we also had some for their siblings (we had that info as well).

Anyway, my senior year, my homeroom class is an honors Physics, so all jrs. and srs. A week or two before, we divied up the assignments, and I took on going to a sporting goods store and having them donate some personalized sweats with our school's logo on it. That gets done, and we wrapped everything up the day before the party. Then, that night, guys from class call me and say they're going to the store to get more stuff, including a bike. They called me for 1) more money, and 2) I had the biggest car (or the biggest trunk). Anyway, I tell my dad what we're going to do, and he whips out a $20 bill faster than I've ever seen him do so before. We go to the store, get the bike, and a few other things, and then the next day, spend half the day putting that stupid thing together (including skipping class) on top of the Physics room science lab tables -- a chore in itself. Turns out, others had done similar things: go WAY above and beyond their assignments. I've never seen so many gifts for a kid and his siblings: easily $300 or more worth, and this is 20 years ago!! I think it got to where homerooms were trying to outdo each other.

We all went ape-crap over this and, to a person, had more fun than we ever thought was possible. Anyone that doubts that giving is better than receiving has never really given anything to someone that truly needs it.