Several stories of Christmas "Grinches" surfaced this year in the region and around the state, but one such story proved average people are more motivated by the glad tidings of the season than by selfishness.
In New York Mills, a "Grinch" ran around stealing Christmas decorations just after Thanksgiving. In Bemidji, police apprehended another Grinch responsible for stealing collections from Toys for Tots locations.
But the best story of a Grinch had a true storybook ending. In Maplewood Tuesday, one man had his car stolen with collections for Webster Elementary School students still in the backseat. Authorities later found his vehicle, but the toys had been taken.
After the story broke, citizens responded with a marvelous outpouring of generosity. The charity group collected 10 times the original amount of donations and said it will spread the wealth to other children in need this holiday season.
The story is a reminder of both the power of Christmas and the warmth of most peoples' hearts. It is heartening to see people come together to overcome mean-spirited adversity. With a societal focus on issues of contention and enmity, both domestically and abroad, it is possible to lose sight of the basic decency most people possess.
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Sometimes even holiday rituals are subverted by self-absorption and a cold shoulder. Holiday shopping, meant to be an act of generosity for loved ones, often degenerates to jostling others in the checkout line and worrying about parking spaces.
Whatever the beliefs, the holidays are a time for friends and family to gather to honor traditions and demonstrate love for each other, a love most are taught to also extend to their neighbor.
It is good to see the holidays can still manage to elicit compassion and goodwill. We must remember to carry the spirit of altruism forward from this time into the rest of the year.
