But, oh, wouldn’t it be nice just to hear them once more.

At the Eastern Wake News, we offer you, dear reader, our most heartfelt wishes for a merry Christmas.

We hope that no matter the trials and tribulations you may have faced in the year now coming to a close you can enjoy the warmth and fellowship of friends and family.

Christmas has become a grossly over-commercialized notch on the calendar, but even that has its roots in the spirit of giving. Few other times during the year do so many of us turn our thoughts to others and look for an opportunity to show them, in a tangible way, that were are glad those people are a part of our lives.

Over the past few weeks, the Eastern Wake News and its sister community newspapers have featured a number of organizations that serve our community in some form or fashion. Anyone looking for an opportunity to give of themselves should surely consider one of those institutions. All of them are worthy of your charity.

The act of giving is cathartic and humbling.

Giving to others can help us forget about our own troubles and focus on how we may benefit others.

And it is truly humbling, in today’s me-me-me world to see people humble themselves before others through the simple act of giving.

And so, we hope that your season of giving has been all that you could have hoped for. And we hope it marks the beginning of a wonderful new year for all of us.