Rediscover The Spirit Of Christmas

Here’s a true story of how one man rediscovered the Spirit of Christmas.

Michael looked up from his computer and glanced at the clock. The office was a hive of activity as people rushed from desk to desk trying to meet the unrealistic deadline that had been set by senior management. Everyone was tired and stressed. They had been working long hours for several weeks and were close to breaking point.

As he looked out the window to watch the crowds of shoppers bustling through the streets below, Michael felt something within him stir. It was Christmas – usually his favorite time of year, but somehow he had become so caught up in meetings and deadlines that it felt like the Spirit of Christmas had been evicted from the building.

He looked around at the tense faces of his fellow team members and realized that he wasn’t the only one who needed a dose of Christmas Spirit.

Michael made a decision…

It took him five minutes to formulate his plan and before he could change his mind, he walked into his manager’s office and outlined his ‘Christmas Proposal’. To his surprise, his manager agreed to his plan immediately.

Bolstered by his manager’s support, Michael returned to his desk and wrote out the following email:

—————–
Subject: Teleworks Toy Drive )
To: All Staff

Hi Everyone,

I’ve just been given the go ahead to launch the first
‘Telework’s Toy Drive’

Later today, I’ll be doing a quick walk around to collect 
contributions to buy toys for the Salvation Army.

It’s completely optional of course but I hope you’ll join 
in and help us bring a smile to the face of some little boys 
and girls on Christmas morning.

The toys we purchase will be on display in the foyer for the 
rest of the week.

By the way, if there are any Elves out there who would like 
to give me a hand, please let me know!

Regards,

Michael
—————–

As Michael pressed the ‘Send’ button he was a little unsure of how his initiative would be received by his busy co-workers. The answer came back almost immediately in the form of several emails offering support, encouragement and offers of help.

That afternoon, Michael and two volunteer ‘elves’ walked around the building collecting money in two santa hats. As they went, they explained the toy drive and wished everyone Happy Christmas.

When he returned to his desk, Michael was stunned to discover that they had collected $384!

The following day, Michael and his part-time elves went to a nearby toy shop during their lunch break. Michael asked to speak to the store manager and explained what they were doing. The manager immediately agreed to give them a 10% discount on all their purchases.

Michael and his friends had a fantastic time walking through the aisles and filling up three shopping trolleys with gifts for the children.

When they returned to work, they assembled all the toys in the foyer and sent out an email to let everyone know about the success of the Toy Drive.

Over the next week, the Toy Drive became quite a talking point and although they were still very busy, Michael thought he detected a change in the spirit that permeated the building.

At lunchtime on Friday, Michael and his volunteer elves carried several large bags of toys to a local Salvation Army depot.

As they entered the building, Michael saw a young girl standing by the doorway with her parents. When the little girl saw the presents, her eyes lit up and she grabbed her Dad’s leg and said, "Daddy look!"

In that instant, Michael felt a wave of happiness sweep over him from head to toe. He once again felt the sense of wonder, excitement and expectation that only Christmas can bring.

He realised that it wasn’t about the presents. It was about stepping up and making an effort. It was about making a connection with the people he worked with and more than anything else, it was about making a difference in some small way.

The true Spirit of Christmas is the spirit of Giving. It is the Spirit of Connecting with those around you and ultimately it is the Spirit of Love.

If you’re feeling a bit jaded this year, I’d like to encourage you to rediscover the Spirit of Christmas by implementing Michael’s simple plan at your workplace.

This Week’s Action Steps:

(1) Ask management for permission to run a Toy Drive.

(2) Send out a group email to let everyone know what’s happening. Feel free to use Michael’s email as a template if you like.

(3) Do a quick walk around to collect contributions.

(4) Purchase the toys and place them in a prominent spot for a few days so that everyone can see and enjoy what they have achieved as a group.

(5) Deliver the gifts to the Salvation Army or other charity of your choice.

If you decide to follow through on this idea, please take a photo and send it to me at anthony@anthonyfernando.com. I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time,

Dare To Dream!

Anthony