After getting the layout finished for another week, we strolled up to the front counter and noticed lights on in the boardroom.
A quick investigation uncovered two elves, busily sorting the contributions brought in by fellow employees for the annual Christmas Angel Program our organization is involved in.
There, spread out on the table, was an assortment of gifts that will no doubt make a merrier Christmas for four families needing some cheer.
We had overheard our staff talking about the neat things they found. Some who haven’t had children of that age for many years found it a bit of trip down memory lane. Little people stuff can be a lot of fun.
Our people also opted in to send along cheer for the adult(s) in the home, which pleased us because everyone can use a little magic this time of year, especially single parents that sacrifice so much to raise their kids.
It is only natural for people, capable of helping others today, to reflect on their own childhoods.
A good friend from out of town got talking about his days growing up and the financial struggles his parents had. Certainly there are varying degrees of struggle, but in a very real way, many families look back at tougher times, decades ago.
For starters, credit was an anathema. If people had credit they were reluctant to use it for fear of not being able to pay it back – or worse yet, ending up witnessing the alarming effects of compounding interest. Double digit interest rates were common. Many families were spared ruin by banking policies that protected the bank and consumers who shouldn’t have been borrowing.
The absence of credit turned many household decisions into major discussions on how best to spend what little cash they had. There was also the omnipresent voice of the generation that grew up in the Great Depression, who never forgot desperation and hardship like no current generation has seen.
The prevalence of credit cards and easy financing loans with low interest has made it far easier for families to reach for the stars. Some might argue too easy. We have long considered these low interest rates a problematic issue that will bite people in the backside as it has in the past. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
As for this Christmas, we are proud to work with such generous people and hope other companies and groups can follow suit this year. There is much joy in giving.
