“I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas.” What a wonderful song. Catchy, and every year at this time the lyrics, “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas,” fill the stores and the television and radio air waves. It’s a wonderful song and a real Christmas mood maker. It certainly gets me into the Christmas spirit.
Last week as I came into the office, it was a chilly 29 degrees outside. However, as I write this on Friday morning, the Christmas Day forecast is sunny and 75. Perhaps in Santa Clarita we need a remix of the classic Irving Berlin song to, “I’m dreaming of a warm Christmas.”
No matter. The Christmas mood and spirit of the season is alive and well in the Santa Clarita Valley. The warmness of the season is everywhere.
It’s the time of year when we celebrate joy, peace and good will toward all, especially after the last couple of years with such pain brought to us by the pandemic.
In these difficult times, we have seen the goodness in people rise up. The spirit of Christmas coming out in everyone and a willingness to give in a spirit of love to one another. All over the world people have reached out to help people in need in their communities.
Santa Clarita is no exception. The amount of giving here is always wonderful and amazing. We are a community filled with loving, giving and caring people as witnessed by the many stories in The Signal over the last few weeks and indeed, really, the entire year. People supporting their neighbors, and all our nonprofits in town and dropping off meals, giving food to people who are hungry, clothes, gifts and countless other acts of kindness.
Perhaps the hardships we’ve all endured together have helped to bring us a renewed meaning and purpose to Christmas. This Christmas we should all be reminded that faith, hope and love shall always remain no matter what — no matter how much we endure and how much pain we all have seen, we must have faith in the good people in our community, who have performed acts of kindness, and those who have helped their friends and neighbors, especially those who are suffering.
We come together to help “Our Own” like no other community I’ve ever seen.
From the residents who donate food and money to people who may or may not have a roof over their head, to the movers and shakers who give money at fancy banquets to fight on behalf of any number of causes, we are a community that cares.
Santa Clarita has the best volunteers, charities and nonprofit organizations of any place in the world.
Need to help our seniors? We’ll raise the money to help them, need a homeless shelter? We’ll raise the money to build one.
Yes, we have our disagreements, but the Christmas spirit is alive and well in the Santa Clarita Valley, and in many ways, it’s with us all year round.
We should all have faith that there are good people in our community who have performed all these acts of kindness, hope that our hardships will soon pass, and show love for our family, friends and neighbors, especially those who are suffering.
We should all look for ways to help our neighbors in need, and to try and be kind to everyone, even those we may disagree with.
I would like to extend my season’s greetings to my Signal family, to our loyal advertisers, and above all to you, our readers.
The entire staff here at The Signal joins me in wishing you a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah and a prosperous and healthy New Year.
Please celebrate Christmas tomorrow with your family and friends. Show them love and show them you care.
Merry Christmas to All… and to All… don’t forget to bring the sunscreen.
Richard Budman is owner and publisher of The Signal.
