Remembering Forgotten People At Christmas

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30630, 22 December 1964, Page 2

Remembering Forgotten People At Christmas

A child who is inclined to take the family Christmas for granted learns appreciation in one short lesson if he is taken out delivering parcels to the needy. And he comes closer to understanding the message of Christmas, said a woman yesterday, who is a member of the Christchurch Central Mission’s gift-delivery team.

“I felt it was a good idea to let my son see how some other people live and to realise that Christmas would be no different from any other day in the year for these people if they were not remembered by an organisation such as the mission,” she said.

The boy accompanied hisj mother into the homes of I some families and went in! atone to others. He talked toi children who had been told! the chilling news that Father Christmas would not be able ': to call on them this year. He saw young faces light! up with surprise and delight! when he handed in bulging; parcels to their mothers. He; saw living conditions that! came as a shock. ' “Christmas will have a new; meaning for him this year,”! his mother said. ; 489 PARCELS The mission is one of sev-j eral welfare organisationsl which remembers the forgot-' ten at Christmas. A team of about 20 voluntary workers, ! selected for their discretion! and their ability to convey! t|je spirit of good will, will! have delivered 489 parcels by I this afternoon.

. Months of work go into preparing lists of names of lonely or needy folk in the community and into finding

jthe right gifts for them. ! Some of the gifts are made by I women’s groups during the (year; others come from well- ! wishers and more are bought (from donations sent in. INDIVIDUAL CARE ! By the second week in December, parcels are being packed at the mission with !the attention that goes into ! wrapping family presents. “Hundreds of people have contributed to our Christmas • mission in cash or kind and we are deeply grateful,” said ! the superintendent (the Rev. W. E. Falkingham). ■ One generous donation icame from an American who I visited the mission earlier in 'the year: a woman handed in j half the Christmas hamper she had been contributing to 'during the year at her grocer's store. One woman made 50 toilet bags, another I made 100 pairs of bedsocks. i A parcel may include a • Christmas pudding, a Christjmas cake, packs of sweets, I nuts, biscuits, tea, sugar, ;! raisins, pots of honey or jam

and probably other foodstuffs as well as toys for children and personal gifts for adults. “When we know there is serious financial need in a family we make a special effort and send a really big parcel,” Mr Falkingham said

The mission also sends out “gesture gifts” to lonely people and those with heavypersonal problems. The list for this group is made up mainly from names of those who have sought help from the mission’s Life Line.