Pull Quote: ‘Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us daily’ — Sally Koch
WEEKS, sometimes a month at least, prior to Christmas, stores, offices and even some homes  start celebrating, with trees covered in hundreds of twinkling lights and other holiday goodies. Most everyone is in a lighter mood, and cheerful carols dominate the airwaves. Generally, the pace of things tend to slow down somewhat, and people usually look forward to the joy that come with the yuletide season, blithely unaware that somewhere out there  are many underprivileged children who rarely receive a special gift in their lives, much less at Christmastime, and barely have an understanding of the concept of Christmas.
Thankfully, the Guyana Red Cross Society has changed all this with its ‘Wreath of Smile’ initiative.

An annual event for more than 20 years, ‘Wreath of Smile’ receives the support of many banks and other corporate institutions.
For this programme, gift tags with the first name and age of a needy child is prepared and distributed.
The distribution in itself is unique, in that Christmas Tress at organisations partnering with the ‘Red Cross’ have the gift tags, and customers visiting these entities are asked to select one and make a Christmas special for a child.
With tag in hand, the patron is asked to purchase a suitable gift for this child, and wrap and return it to the office from which the tag was picked up. These gifts are later delivered to the children for whom these gifts were purchased. 
Children targeted under the programme are from several schools, orphanages and children’s homes, and also churches.
The Red Cross’ goal is 1000 gifts for underprivileged children.
Understanding the needs which exist, missions will continue to ask for donations, non-governmental organisaitons will continue to offer sponsorships, and families will continue to open their homes to children from orphanages at this time of year, all in the hope that in the spirit of the season, there is a change in the life for less fortunate children.