Kids ask Santa for economic help this year

In an earlier blog post this week, I mentioned how hard it is for people this year at Christmas because of the economy.  And just as I said would happen, children are asking Santa for help.

Joe Jackson, a Santa in Columbia, SC, said this:

You see things behind the beard that nobody else will ever see or hear. I’ve had children just literally tear my heart out.

Parents are helping their children through tough times by trying to keep traditions alive.  Many know that their children desperately want the latest and greatest toy from Santa this year and that it just won’t happen.  Sadly, many don’t realize that the kids know this as well regardless of how much Mom and Dad try to hide it.

Children this year aren’t asking for as many toys as before, the article says.  They’re asking for warm clothes and personal care items — things most people would be offended to receive as a present.  In days gone by when people were happy to receive simple homemade presents, a pair of socks or a hastily-knitted scarf was the highlight of someone’s holiday.  Now, if it doesn’t have a memory card or isn’t the latest model of something they already have, people don’t want it.  To many, if you can’t prove you spent a quarter of your annual salary on their present then you’d be better off not buying anything at all.

Civic organizations are scrambling to help families provide a simple Christmas for children this year.  With more families signing-up for services and less people donating money, it’s going to be thin all around.

Having to cancel Christmas breaks the hearts of parents everywhere.  And it’s not only Christian families that are hurting this year.  Those who celebrate Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and no specific holiday at all are also in need.  It’s not just during the winter non-denominational holiday season that people need assistance.