SOMETIMES we do not take the time to remember and appreciate the people who have to work through the holidays, especially this time of the year.  Some of these people include doctors, nurses, the police, security guards and watchmen, among others, who do not have a choice when it comes to working all through the Christmas season and the New Year.

Like us, those people have families, and they would love to stay at home and savour the time with their loved ones: but they cannot, since duty calls. It is these very people who toil around the clock so often that they can only imagine being at home enjoying the Christmas meal with their families.
Some people are very fortunate to have the time to be at home around the people they love, but others aren’t so fortunate; and it is time we honour those people by simple gestures.
The police provide security for citizens and businesses all year round, and the doctors and nurses at the various medical institutions and clinics tend to us when we get ill.
Employers of the regular security guards should at least make their time at work, wherever it may be — in a guard hut, at a building or at a hospital — pleasant with some sort of treat by way of a meal. A present of a basket of goodies might be enticing to pass the time quickly.

Ever-so-often we forget these very people, even though we so depend on them for the services they provide; and it is time they are recognised for their reliability in turning up for work during the holidays.
It is also the time of year when special attention should be paid to the less fortunate — the sick and the shut-ins.
I think some kind consideration should be extended to them as well. It does not have to be anything extravagant, because it is the thought behind the gesture that matters.
For me, it is the simple things that count. And even kind words of encouragement or a friendly embrace is quite fitting for the Christmas season.
Christmas, for me, is all about giving and being benevolent. It is a season to spread cheer and joy to others in whatever way we can.
The biblical injunction “It is more blessed to give than to receive” is so very apt; and with that thought in mind, I encourage all to at least be kind to others as often as we can, and not just wait until Christmastime to be all ‘giving’ and ‘pleasant’.
Wherever you are and whatever you may be doing, I say “Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!”