What day is it? Really? Already?

So it appears as though it might be December 19. I don’t see how that’s possible, but there you go. My whole year ran away from me, and the last few days are probably going to sprint past me at light speed.

So I’ve been quiet in December, as opposed to my frenzy of posting in November. Fact is, the end of the year in my particular type of employment tends to get pretty nasty, plus there are family visitations, and it’s just busy.

If you’ve ever wondered why I post so much about charity on my blog, it’s because I am a fundraiser for a living, which means that I see firsthand what kind of work charities are faced with every day, and how small their budgets are. Most charities are not big like the Sierra Club or the ASPCA. Most are like mine - local, with a huge responsibility in the community, with a shoestring budget, too little space to work in and a dedicated but skeleton staff.

I believe in the work of charity because I believe in compassion and empathy, and I believe that we all have a responsibility to help out our neighbors. Everyone needs help from time to time - we are not islands of self sufficiency in a sea of humanity. Everyone will face hardship through a medical problem or loss of income or something else, and it’s not easy to get back on your feet. There are so many who are helpless - people in shelters, abused animals. So I consider it my responsibility to help. Plus, I am realistic - I know that I could be that person who needs help and doesn’t know where to turn, and I’d like to think someone else would help me if I needed it.

I am inspired to wax poetic today because December in this fundraising sort of job is big and important - people in the US give 50% of their charity dollars in December. Which means for my charity that keeping our name in people’s minds at this time of year is critically important. In this age of multiple means of communication, producing multiple communication tools means reaching more people, but also lots more work. That’s what I do. I’m also the person who is responsible for processing the money when it comes in and saying thank you to everyone as well. In December, I work a lot, and I work hard getting ready for December as well. What happens this month is what will get us through about a third of next year.

I am filled with the holiday-ness of spirit in December — crafts, food, family, tree, lights… But my job requires that I see the other side as well, what wintertime also means - that people are having a hard time right now. Winter is really difficult for people with very little and causes a lot of health problems, even here where it’s relatively warm. So many are not having a merry time at all. This job is an experience as much as it is a means to feed myself - and it makes me, I hope, more thoughtful …

So I post a little less in December so my energy goes to work instead, and buy fewer things than I might so I can give some to others rather than giving in to the relentless consumerism of the season. That, too, is why I took the Handmade Pledge - so that what I do spend I put into someone’s two hands, so it’s more meaningful. I try hard not to be irritating or sanctimonious (ick) about my insistence on charity, but it’s hard to watch the sorts of things I see and not want to encourage everyone to help however they can, y’know?

Cheers to all, and I’ll see you in a couple of days