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Alan K. Stout
About two weeks ago, there was some talk in our office about having our annual "Secret Santa." I'm sure you're familiar with these workplace traditions. Everybody agrees on a price -- usually somewhere between $10 and $25 -- and you then draw names out of a hat to learn who in the office you'll be buying for. Then, sometime during Christmas week, usually during lunchtime, people bring in some goodies and you exchange gifts. It's a nice American holiday tradition, and I've been a part of many of them over the years, just as I'm sure many of you have been.
This year, however, the folks in The Times Leader's circulation department, where my office is located and where I also serve as the paper's Newspapers In Education Manager, won't be holding a "Secret Santa." And it's not because we don't like each other. We do. It's a great group of people. And it's not because we're not all doing a little penny-pinching during these tough economic times. We are. We're not holding a "Secret Santa" in our office simply because we've decided to not to exchange gifts among ourselves but rather take the same money we would have spent on office gifts and give them to someone that is more in need.
This idea came from Joe Farrell, a 24-year old member of our customer service team. It was Joe, when we first started talking about our "Secret Santa" a few weeks ago, who suggested that we take the money we all would have spent on gifts for one another, chip it into one fund, and help out a local family that is having a hard time during this holiday season.
"Really," Joe said, "what are we all going to do with a $10 gift that we get from somebody? We can take that same money, put it all together from everybody in the office, and help somebody else. We're all very fortunate. We all have jobs, and we're all going to have a nice Christmas. Not everybody will."
We all quickly agreed that this was a wonderful idea. We also learned, quite by coincidence, of a local single mother who was working hard at a new job, had two young children, and wasn't going to be able to provide them with gifts this year. Her words were selfless and heartfelt, and they touched us. Soon, Joe and another coworker, Valerie Andres, were out shopping with our collected money, which totaled more than $150, and they were able to buy a very nice selection of toys for the kids.
I'm not telling you this story to toot our own horn, though I will toot Joe's, since it was all his idea, and I was quite impressed that such a kind gesture would come from such a young man. Young people, in every generation, sometimes get a bad rap as being self-centered or egocentric, but more often than not, it's proved to be untrue. Joe is the youngest member of our office team, and in a simple way he reminded us all of the reason for the season. And that's why I've decided to share this story with you -- to do for you what Joe did for us. And, by sharing our story, maybe your office will decide to do the same. Maybe you, too, by simply passing on the little office gift for yourself, can bring some Christmas magic to a child in need. I know that come Christmas morning, we'll all be thinking about those two kids and that big bunch of toys waiting for them.
"Secret Santa," for our office, is truly "Santa" this year. And we're all very happy about that.
Merry Christmas!
About the Author
Alan K. Stout is the music columnist at The Weekender and has been covering rock and pop music in NEPA for more than 15 years. His column, "Music on The Menu" appears every week in The Weekender.
Alan has won a Keystone Press Award for Excellence in Journalism for his music coverage and has been voted Northeast Pennsylvania's "Favorite Newspaper Columnist" seven times.
Alan's interviews include conversations with Billy Joel, Steven Tyler, Eddie Van Halen, David Bowie and Ray Charles. He also wrote the liner-notes to the entire Motley Crue catalog, he is the host of the monthly "Weekender/Mountaingrown Original Music Series" and is the founder of NEPA's annual "Concert For A Cause." He also hosts a weekly radio show, "Music On The Menu Live," which can be heard every Sunday night at 8 p.m. on 102.3-FM, The Mountain.
In addition to his work with The Weekender, Alan also serves as the Newspapers In Education Manager at The Times Leader.
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