Christmas for most of us may be exciting  because we get gifts, an abundance of food that could last the entire week,  the tíos and tias we haven’t seen in forever, and our grandmas who pinch our checks and interrogate us about our personal lives. Just farther south of Florida in Nicaragua and other countries in Central America like Guatemala, Christmas is basically any other day.

They have never experienced the privilege of waking up the 25th to see a mountain of presents under the beautifully lit pine tree. They wake up, grab their toddler sibling around their arms, and walk to a stoplight where they beg for the money to secure them the meal of the day. 

While many try to block out up the reality of the not-so-privileged world, here at ILS, we make a difference. Around 35% of Central American countries  are poor and barely get paid enough to stay alive. As good Salesians, we learn the value of compassion and selflessness. To think about others who don’t have what we do and to imprint on a child’s life who will finally experience a wrapped gift on Christmas Day, is something meaningful.

We do this through the angel tree. An opportunity for every grade to grab a little angel from  tree sitting in the SLC is the one-way ticket for a happy child.

The angel ticket features a name and age with a Christmas list attached to make a child’s dream come true. Other angels bring little envelopes to place money inside. While the most desired would be to send gifts to Nicaragua, it is very hard. One dollar in Nicaragua makes all the difference, let alone 20.

Other angels provide only the gender and age  of a child so that you may give them the gift of fresh new clothes. Something we look past, yet sadly isn’t something common in poverty. These kids spend their lives dressed in hand-me-downs from all sorts of family members or even what they find on the street. A fresh pair of pants and a new shirt can make a kid feel special.

Angel tree is a beautiful event that captures the essence of Christmas. Christmas is all about spending time with your loved ones and giving to others, giving love, kindness, empathy, and more. It’s time to be grateful and give a tiny piece of ourselves to the people who need it most. A shopping spree that will take all of 20 minutes will truly change the life of a young person. It truly is the season to be kind.