Christmas 2009

Christmas is just around the corner... I don't know how it happened but it's here! I am actually really quite excited about this Christmas season. Just like I did last year, I want to do something for the people living in the downtown east side. It's most likely not going to be as big as last year but I still want to do something. I can't remember if I blogged about x-mas 2008 on the DTES. I'll have to take a look and see. If I haven't then I most likely will (but not tonight. I want to go to sleep).
So I've been wracking my brain as to what to do. Last year I worked with OnSite and brought Christmas there. This year I want to do something for the people on the streets. I see them every time I go to and from the gym (which is 2 to 3 times a week). There's just as big a crowd if it's sunny, cold, cloudy or raining. They're just out there. I guess that's because they don't have anywhere to go. I make eye contact with them and smile, just to acknowledge their presence. Most of them don't ask for food. One guy asked me for a hug. Of course, I gave him one. Today I saw my old neighbor, Bill. He now lives in the downtown east side. I smiled at him, he stared blankly at me. He probably doesn't recognize me because him and Linda moved out when I was 10. He was also drunk most of the time and Linda... well I haven't seen her. My guess is that she's passed away. I think I remember hearing about something like that a while ago. Anyways. Though I see Bill three or four times a year, we never talk to each other. I am always glad to see him. Alive. Maybe not well.
So what am I going to do for the people in the downtown east side? So far, the best idea I've come up with is making a couple hundred ginger bread people, decorate them (all of them will have a little pink heart) and hand them out on the corner of Main and Hastings. There's no doubt that I'll find a couple hundred homeless people. I've been guesstimating how many there are each time I go by. There's lots of them. I think there will be just as many come Christmas time... cuz really... where are they going to go? It's not as if they're going to visit family. Unfortunately. Anyways, this seems like the best option. Baked goods are part of the holidays and it'll be cheaper then buying socks/underwear/gloves/hats/scarves etc etc etc for them.
If anyone wants to help out, let me know :) My favorite memories of last years Christmas was wrapping up the presents for OnSite with Mom and Dad, delivering the presents with Uncle Steve on Christmas eve day (despite the snow storm) and seeing a pile, almost as tall as me, of presents in the storage room, knowing that they'll go out to people that will be so grateful to have them. Hopefully this year I can make new memories, either with the same people or with others.