Spending my days as a reporter trying to navigate my way around the North Shore, I don’t get many chances to sit back and reflect on holiday nostalgia. But when I do, I remember how almost every aspect of Christmas has changed over the years.
At first, everything was simple. As a kid, you’re thrust upon the festive madness of the holiday season in a spectacle of fun and wonder. When you grow older, and the glitter turns to dust, the only piece of magic that remains is the chance to pass on the gift of joy to someone else.
Indeed, the rosy-red lens of childhood leaves the finer details behind in a colorful haze. But behind the simplicity of youth and the mysterious shimmer of presents under a Christmas tree, the principle my parents instilled in me remains the same.
Take a mother of a family in need who recently reached out to Item Santa, for example. She embodies what the spirit of Christmas — the essential and selfless act of giving — is truly about.
Regardless of a few personal setbacks, she is determined to see that her children celebrate a Christmas with toys waiting for them under the tree. She asks that, despite the financial setbacks that come with struggling to find a job with better pay, Santa helps her and her partner provide their children with the Christmas they deserve.
Now in its 58th year, the Item Santa fund helps to make Christmas brighter for the needy.
To donate, clip the coupon in The Item and mail it, along with your check, to The Item Salvation Army Santa, PO Box 5, Lynn, MA 01903.
There is also a way to donate online, and have your contributions acknowledged, just click on the following link: salvationarmyma.org/itemsanta.
All donations are listed in Item print editions through the month of December and into 2025, along with a brief message from each donor, if desired.
NOTE: The application period for aid from Item Santa has closed and The Item does not process applicants. All questions about the program and distribution of gifts should be directed to the Salvation Army at 781-598-0673.
