Over the years my appreciation for Christmas has changed. In the now dimming memories of childhood, there was the surprise and delight at what Santa had brought. As I grew older, a greater appreciation for the season, particularly when reaching the age where mistletoe was of interest.

When children came along, there was the delight in watching them discover Christmas. And now post-children but pre-grandchildren, I am trying to define my current appreciation for Christmas.

Christmas has always been one of my favorite holidays. It is such a hopeful time of the year.

Despite the deepening gloom of winter, which is just getting started in the Deep South around Christmas, there was always a sense of expectancy. Expectancy in a good sense of the word, that better times were just around the next bend in the road.

Perhaps that is why Christmas is so meaningful when children are such a major part of it.

Both ours and those of others. Every bend in the road facing a child has the potential to be better than what has gone before. And in being better for some particular child, the future holds the potential to be better for all of us.

A Christmas filled with hope doesn’t require a plane ticket to some exotic land with need. A Christmas filled with hope is a close as helping a child here in Newton County. A child in need is probably within walking distance of your own home. You will have to unplug your iPod and actually speak to your neighbors, but it is Christmas after all.

By filling a child’s Christmas with kindness and hope I think you will find your Christmas is filled with kindness and hope as well.

Patrick Durusau is a resident of Covington. His columns appear regularly on Fridays.