The Voice - Student Newspaper

Plant seeds through donation trees

When you're loading up your car with gifts for friends and family during the holiday season, do you ever stop to ask yourself who you're forgetting? Was it Samantha, 4? All she wants for Christmas is a doll? Was it Alex, 8, hoping for a football this year?

When you're doing your Christmas shopping in any mall, Wal-Mart, or Macy's, notice the Christmas trees filled with Christmas wishes. Children sponsored by charitable organizations write down their name, age and what they wish for on a paper ornament. Usually these children ask for small things so they are more likely to receive a gift.

When you second guess whether it's worth spending your money on somebody else's child, think about how some of the wishes on these trees belong to orphans and children with broken homes. Many of these children have never even had a Charlie Brown Christmas.

When you come to the conclusion that somebody else will donate so you don't have to, consider the fact that even though thousands of people will donate every year, it's never enough. The wishes on that tree only belong to children in the area. Angel trees, Wish trees, Donation trees, and toys for tots are located across America in practically every state.

Not every child is going to receive a Christmas gift, so when you turn your back on these trees the number of Christmas-less children increases by one. One is all it takes to make a difference in a child's life. A teddy bear, a tee-shirt, a pair of shoes, a doll, a soccer ball, a game board; anything is better than nothing.

When you argue that you need to save your money because of the fiscal recession, think about how far a few bucks goes for people that have nothing. Besides that, cycling money by spending helps the economy recover faster. You can help revive the economy and put a smile on a child's face.

Don't make up excuses to yourself pretending that you would have donated but you couldn't find a tree or a donation station.

Angel Trees/Wish Trees are located in every single Mall in Arizona, brought to you by the Salvation Army.

Not to mention that Wal-Mart has at least two trees located at both front entrances, every Wal-Mart. Even if it is in a mall, Macy's also has a donation tree in practically every store location.

If you think your gifts won't reach the children through mall spots or you want to pack your own gift box, or you just want to give a cash donation so somebody else can deal with picking out a gift then donate directly to the children benefits organizations; My Two Front Teeth, Unicef, Operation Christmas Child, Make a Wish Foundation, Toys for Tots, and The Salvation Army.

Don't be a Grinch and don't be a Scrooge this year because Cindy Lou Who and Tiny Tim are counting on you to come through.