WE’RE just about a week away from Christmas Day. The fairy lights are already up and Regent Street has begun filling up making it quite difficult to travel around Georgetown without a great deal of patience.

What I’ve always loved about this season is that it seems to bring out the nicest parts of people. I mean, I could be the Grinch all year but the minute it changes to Christmas time, call me Cindy Lou Who. And it’s not just me. Suddenly, at Christmas time, every person is magnanimous.

You pass the red kettles literally everywhere, and suddenly you don’t mind dropping in the spare change. Or you aren’t mindful to give a ‘lil sumn’ to the Masqueraders- which are, by the way, now found at almost every street corner, traffic light and car park.

It is not just these simple acts of doing something good, though. On a larger scale, there are so many individuals and groups trying to do something this season to take that merry feeling to those who might not necessarily have this feeling. It is impossible for anyone to miss all of the Christmas drives and outreach programmes ongoing.

But what I’ve found is that persons want to do very impactful things, but lack the means to do so. The corporate community is approached, arguably, more than ever during this time and understandably would quickly become very saturated.

With this in mind, many of those non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like the Rotaract Club and Potluck that really try to make a significant impact depend largely on the contributions of civil society.

This year Potluck will be continuing its tradition of giving out ‘care packages’ to homeless persons. The aim is to equip them with sometimes the most basic self-care items because even though these persons are without homes, it should not mean that they cannot take care of themselves adequately.

Then Rotaract Clubs of Georgetown and Georgetown/Central have both endeavoured to share the festivities with children. One club will be targeting children from various orphanages while the other will target the children from Plastic City, on the West Bank of Demerara. The clubs will be giving out gifts to children and fete them for a few hours during the day.

These acts might seem simple enough, but this is all to say- if you can, reach out and give something. And if there isn’t something tangible that you can give, share your time.

Interestingly, an article published in the Guardian UK detailed that the merry ole season of Christmas can actually be a very stressful season for many. Aside from the sheer overwhelmingness of the festivities, it can actually amplify feelings of loneliness and grief. So despite this being a season of joy and peace, the festivities can be a trigger for many persons due to inherent expectations.

And here’s where the simple act of sharing your time with others shows its brilliance. Some people might not be able to indulge in the festivities, but just spending time with them goes a far way in reducing the stress the season might bring for them.

Adding to this, I think right now in Guyana, there is a huge volunteer culture that has enveloped many young people and I appreciate that my people are willing to give of their time freely. These persons serve, often without anything in return besides a sense of satisfaction, throughout the year. They give their time to contribute to making some positive impact no matter how minuscule. And really, that is the genuineness that is found at Christmas time.

For me, there’s nothing more festive and satisfying that giving my service to make something, or someone better. They don’t just call it ‘the season’, it is the season of unrequited kindness.

At the end of the season though, it’s back to business as usual. Somewhere in that mix, we’ll find time to help out every now and then. As the spirit is there, maybe we can make the best of it while it lasts. And when it’s all said and done, I hope that some things can persist.

I suppose what I am trying to encourage is that for the season, embrace the ‘niceness’ that it brings and make the most of it- for yourself and for the people around you.