To anyone who has been in a retail store recently, it seems that Christmas has been coming earlier and earlier each year. I was in a pharmacy the day before Halloween and there was already a very limited Christmas display. I understand the mass marketing appeal of Christmas and I'm sure the retail companies are relying on Christmas to help slumping sales.

The importance of Thanksgiving should not be forgotten in the hoopla of Christmas marketing. For me, Thanksgiving is a day free of the commercial superficial trappings of today’s society where I can spend quality time with my loved ones and truly give thanks for all the blessings in my life.

However, many people are not as fortunate as I am. For whatever reasons, they do not have enough money to provide for their families. In this busy holiday season, it is important not to forget them. There are many different ways to give back to the community from Angel Trees [1] to Feed Richmond [2] food drives to volunteering to serve meals. HandsOn Greater Richmond [3] provides a comprehensive lists of volunteer opportunities in the Greater Richmond area.