Bring Back the Bells

Listen.... do you hear that? No you don't and neither do I. It is the sound of silence; the sound that was left when they quieted the bells of Christmas. I am talking about the bells that the Salvation Army volunteers used to ring at Christmastime as they once again held their Christmas Kettle fundraiser campaign.

And what a joyful sound that was! I can still hear it.... a gentle reminder that the spirit of Christmas was alive and well. It may have bothered some people but it sure never bothered me whether it was outside on a street corner or in a crowded mall. It was for a good cause - the best cause of all; people helping people.

It is quite common now for charities to mount their fund raising efforts around Christmas to feed the hungry and provide the children with toys and there is nothing wrong with that. But the Salvation Army has been doing it for generations and the symbol of the Christmas kettle with the volunteer ringing the bell has become synonymous with the spirit of seasonal giving. My grandmother did it, my sisters have done it and are still doing it to this day. I am very proud of them all.

What a wonderful charitable organization the Salvation Army is - it puts them all to shame without even trying. So I say ring those bells! Make skinflints like me dig even deeper into those lint-filled pockets. Fill those kettles! Make a joyful noise - you have to if you want to be heard above the sounds of the video arcade and Maria Carey warbling over the mall sound system. If I wasn't such a good Anglican I would be tempted to get out there and do it myself!

And for those of you who prefer the modern way of doing things - there is even an on-line version of the traditional Christmas Kettle. It is called the Ikettle and it can be found right here:
Ikettle

Personally I prefer the real thing so I will be dropping by the nearest location with my heartfelt, though meager donation - but hey, it all adds up, right? So make your contribution - and while you are at it ask them to make a little noise and maybe bring back the bells. After all, it's Christmas - a time when miracles can happen and who knows... who knows.