EDITORIAL: The gift of contribution (12/19/99)

EDITORIAL

The gift of contribution

Of the countless wonderful Ukrainian traditions, some of the most special belong to the Christmas season. It is the season during we celebrate the birth of Christ by celebrating life itself - with abundant love and warmth, with giving and sharing. We put abundant food on our tables and, as did the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to the baby Jesus, we bring gifts to our loved ones.

Our community has always been very generous during the holiday season by giving to our religious and community groups - our churches and schools, youth organizations and cultural associations. Our tradition of the fund-raising "koliada" - groups of carolers whom we welcome into our homes - makes the task of raising money a fun and social event.

Over the years our newspaper has often encouraged our readers to give to our community groups - sometimes suggesting new ones that are not yet well-known or reminding our readers of long-established organizations that haven't received much publicity of late. However, this year, we would like to encourage that a new tradition be established in our community - whereby children and grandchildren "buy" a gift for their their parents and grandparents by contributing to a church or community organization.

This idea, we confess, is not really ours and not really new. However, we have been reading about it more and more in the mainstream press. Apparently the economic boom of the 1990s combined with longer life expectancy has created a generation of seniors in North America who are living comfortably into their 70s and 80s, but frankly, don't want - or need - any more "stuff." In what appears to be an end-of-the-wealthiest-century-in-history trend, many seniors are now asking that their children and grandchildren take the money that they normally would have spent on a gift and, instead, make a donation to a worthy cause.

We are convinced that many of our parents and grandparents would be pleased to know that their adult children and grandchildren are making a contribution to their Ukrainian community institutions, their church or youth group, cultural association or social welfare organization, instead of another set of gloves for "dido" or perfume for "babusia."

We have no doubt that a handwritten card from a grandchild that read "Dear Babtsiu: This year, in your honor, I made a donation to my church (or Plast or SUM group) as my Christmas gift to you" would bring great pleasure to any grandmother. Adult children could do the same, making contributions in honor of their parents and in lieu of gifts, to organizations that seem less accessible to children, such as our veterans' groups or scholarly and archival institutions. Particularly appropriate this year, as Ukraine begins yet another extremely harsh and cold winter, would be gifts that support the numerous social welfare organizations that help Ukraine's children and orphans.

Our community was built on the generosity of the previous generations - let us instill this same spirit in those to follow. Khrystos Razhdaietsia!

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