Jeff's Commentary - 12/14 - A Christmas Carol

On Saturday December 18th, AZ-TV will broadcast KTAR's "A Christmas Carol" from 7-8pm and starring our very own Pat McMahon. I was at the taping (which will also air Christmas Eve at 10pm on AZ-TV and several times on KTAR radio) and was amazed at the simplicity of the story performed on stage, yet how it is so relevant in today’s times.

I love that we are returning to calling Christmas...Christmas. Too many years of companies being “politically correct” and avoiding the word “Christmas.” Yet with the economy as difficult as it has been, many are suffering. I had a chance to be on a committee with Ashley Furniture reading stories of families “in crisis”. Ashley is donating a minimum of 12 homes worth of new furniture. The folks at Ashley received over 1,200 requests to be a “finalist” and our group had to whittle the 68 heartfelt stories down to 15.

It was really tough to read...as almost every family had kids sleeping on floors, families enduring various heath issues, and many parents having to re-parent to grandchildren as their own kids were in prison or on drugs. It was nice to know that at least 12 homes are going to be filled with furniture and many more with beds from Ashley.

Our own AZ-TV promotion to basically rebuild a home with furniture, paint and landscaping is also getting a lot of attention from families in need. While we can’t “save the world,” we can fix one home at a time and are going to do so with a winner announced on Thursday, the 23rd.

Too often, we take for granted that someone else will help others. This year, it takes all of us to participate...in any way that works for you.

Scrooge seeing the light by revisiting his own past in "A Christmas Carol" should be a wake up call to all of us. A recent interview with the late Elizabeth Edwards stuck out to me. She talked about not wanting to talk about cancer “taking her down,, rather cancer was just another piece of her life as part of her journey to live and to give. I liked the part about the journey. That’s what all of us are doing while we live day to day...creating our own journey and making our own life story. How you help others defines you.

Material things matter, though in the TV business and advertising, it is somewhat important to our survival. Hopefully we all take some time to reflect what is truly important to us whether it be family, friends or relationships and find a way to help our neighbors out. Sometimes something as simple as a smile or hello to someone can change that person’s day.

Check out "A Christmas Carol" on Saturday. It may help you understand the true meaning of the Christmas season. It did once again for me.

Merry Christmas.

Jeff