Giving that Pays You Back
In the same spirit (idea and feeling) as Warren’s great post about random acts of kindness, I’ll talk a little about giving.
Americans often talk about the holiday season, the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, as “the season for giving.” It’s the time of year people are most willing to give their money, their time, and other things to help the needy (very poor people). Many charities (organizations to help others) collect the most money and other support during this period.
To encourage people to open their wallets (spend; give money), some cities and organizations are offering forgiveness (removal; dismissal) of fines (money paid as punishment for doing something wrong or against the law) in exchange for a little giving.
For instance, in Lexington, Kentucky, if you get a parking ticket (citation for parking in the wrong place or without paying the proper fee), you can get $15 off (reduction) if you bring in 10 cans of food when you pay your fine. In 2014, the program collected 6,000 cans of food, which were donated (given for free) to the local food bank (organization that collects food to give to the poor).
In the city of Boston, Massachusetts, if you get a parking ticket between certain dates in December, you can have the fine dismissed (removed) if you donate a new and unwrapped (not covered in gift-giving paper) toy of equal or greater value (worth more money) than the amount of the ticket. The toys are given to children who might otherwise (without this) not receive a gift for the holidays.
The public library in Williamsburg, Virginia wants to forgive, too. The library will remove a fine for any single (one) overdue (not returned on time) item in exchange for a donation of a nonperishable (able to be kept for a long time before eating) food item, no matter how large the fine.
The main aims (goals) of these efforts is to encourage people to give and to garner (get; gather) goodwill (friendly feeling). The hope is that people will get accustomed to (used to) giving and give not only during the holiday season, but throughout the year.
The people who have their fines reduced or removed feel good about helping others, and the organizations plant the seed (give the idea; provide a start) for future giving. That’s what I call a win-win (something beneficial for all)!
I hope that you experience lots of kindness and generosity (giving easily to help others) throughout the holiday season. And on behalf of (speaking for) everyone here at ESL Podcast, we hope that your New Year is filled with good health and good cheer (happiness; joy)!
~ Lucy
Photo Credit: From Wikipedia
Reader comments (18)
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Oh boy, it is a toughy
Let me see what I can write about the topic at hand.
True , every body feels more charitable during the holidays.
Sure, compassion and empathy are in the air throughout holiday season.
Definitely , you can hear laughters and spot smiles in overcrowded coffee houses , restaurants , and shopping malls.
Certainly , there are tons of holiday donation drives across the nation.
All and all done in good spirit to maintain the sanctity of Christmas and all it represent.
However , I never spotted the beloved government gears into the giving spirit of holiday season by fine reductions and charity trades.
To the contrary , the government tries to milk the situation:) as typically the number of traffic violations go up around the holiday season as people are too distracted by the spirit of holiday to pay much of an attention to small traffic fractions and violent.
Trust me , you see people forget to put coins in the parking meter while parking on the streets, or never noticed the overhead traffic signs prohibiting people park by the curb in specific areas. The last part specially occurs for people who tend to do last minute Christmas shoppings.
You know , people who save it for the last minute to check items off their Christmas shopping lists.
Why do I know all of these ?
Well , My dear peers, I have been there , done that !:)
The biggest exciting thing Christmas always bring for me is a pile of parking tickets that the government never felt charitable enough to get into the spirit of giving but taking even one dollar off the cited fine.
Every year I pay them down to the last penny.
Trust me, I would know if I was given discounts.
Goody , so far this year around I have three beautiful yellowish parking fraction slips in the glove compartment in my car. 🙂
Well , one of my resolutions every year is to get less to nothing parking tickets. But , absent-minded that I am , the resolution always fall through.
All I m saying is the holiday season is the most lucrative time of the year for the ministry of transformation. So why on earth they should get all Christmassy :)))
Well , I see charitable organizations , in particularly , none-for-profit organizations throwing different kinds of charity events throughout of the holiday season.
I see tons of donations done through religion observations during the period too.
I myself is a part of the charitable force every year in a local church.
Well, in all honesty ,since I m not a rich person, I donate time instead.
It is equally good , right ?
🙂
Pete
Hi Lucy ,
The latest episod stuck the landing for me. I find it very educational and interesting!!!
Thanks
🙂
Pete
Hello Lucy.
Thank you Lucy for your sweet wishes.
With the powers given to me by the crows I share my breakfast with, and as a self-proclaimed spokesperson representing all the blog users, I would like to virtually hug you. That is just to show our appreciation for all the effort placed on delivering all this year’s podcasts.
I appreciate the fact that Jeff always thanks you at the end of every podcast.
Since I am here, I must tell you that all this constant and endless production
looks unbelievable. You must be feeling a huge pressure on you in order to deliver the next script. How do you do that? I wonder.
Well, thanks.
I see us humans to be giving animals.
We help each other a lot.
You should see the crows! They are mean!
They make me angry!
The reason is that when I throw them a few cookies, I would like to see every sigle Crow to get one.
Contrary to my wishes, they pick one up, after that they pick up two and sometimes even three! I am sure a single crow would get them all for itself if it only could. And they fight too! Bad crows.
The lesson is that we compared to crows are more giving and generous.
Thanks
🙂
Hey Dan
Virtually hug Lucy :))))))
That part is hilarious :))))
Completely original
U make me laugh
Thanks pal
🙂
Pete
Yes, this is the best topic I have ever seen here and I have to say it wouldn’t come from other person than Lucy. I don’t know if you agree with me but women have a better heart than men. I am not saying that women are better for there are women with a hard haeart too like men. For my turn, I make donations monthly for a cancer hospital and for an institution which takes care of children affected by cancer. I also make a yearly donation for an institution in which there are disabled people who paint with mouth and feet. Seeing that I think why there are people in perfect condition who choose to commit crime instead of working honestly. Only God can explain.
Aecio
Guys
I m sitting in a recess in the most glamorous Starbucks in town located in downtown Toronto frequented by artists , and youngsters of all sorts.
I sometimes come here for a change of pace.
Today , early in the morning , I was deep into a book in there while seeping on a cup of coffee.
All of a sudden I hear some overhead voice saying :
Why so glum chum. :))))
It was the craziest friend I have in town , a natural born clwan. He has a funny bone. In face he has multi funny bones. He has just one mood : cheerful and upbeat.
We say and chat over a couple of coffee
And head out for movies
I finally find some wingman to watch star wars with :))))
Off we go.
By for now lads
🙂
Pete
Dear Eslpod
What you compiled on the last and second last episodes are awsome !!
I enjoy them
I forgot to mention that one of my resolutions on my list is to upgrade my membership with Eslpod from my current status which is a basic membership to the premium one.
Oh boy , I need to shed pounds too.
Thanks for the wonder that is learning guid
🙂
Pete
Hi,
Dear Lucy, thank you for every day that you are with us writing scripts, posts and jokes.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you and to your family!
Best wishes,
Tania
Hi,
Dear Jeff, thank you for all this year spent with us teaching us the U.S. English.
Thank you for the Learn English Magazine.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you and to your family!
All the best for you,
Tania
Hi,
HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all ESLPodcast team!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all Learn English Magazine team!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS to Adriano and Pao!
Best wishes,
Tania
Hi,
HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all our blog friends!
I love you all,
Tania
Dear Jeff,
Thanks for introducing us to “London Review of Books.”
Amazing on-line archive. A rich assortment of articles.
It is a good read.
I m totally thralled by it.
Thanks
🙂
Pete
Froehliche Weihnachten und ein gluckliches Neues Jahr
Feliz ñavida y provechosu añu nuevu
Shuvo Baro Din
Nedeleg laouen na bloav ezh mat
Vesela Koleda I chestita Nova Godina
Seng Dan Fai Lok, Sang Nian Fai Lok
Bon nadal i feliç any nou!
Geseende Kerfees en ‘n gelukkige nuwe jaar
I’D Mubarak ous Sana Saida
Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Felices navidaes y prósperu añu nuevu
Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Pace e salute
Glaedelig Jul
Colo sana wintom tiebeen
Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo
Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Vesele bozicne praznike in srecno novo leto
Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Gajan Kristnaskon
Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi
Zorionak eta Urte Berri On
Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Hyvää Joulua or Hauskaa Joulua
Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année
Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ur
Nadolig LLawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Bo Nadal e feliz aninovo
Kala Christougenna Kieftihismenos O Kenourios Chronos
Mele Kalikimaka
Mo’adim Lesimkha. Shana Tova
Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar
Kellemes Karacsonyiunnepeket & Boldog Új Évet
Selamat Hari Natal
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Nollaig Shona Dhuit
Gledileg Jol og Farsaelt Komandi ar
Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo
Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Natale hilare et Annum Nuovo!
Prieci’gus Ziemsve’tkus un Laimi’gu Jauno Gadu
Linksmu Kaledu
Streken Bozhik
Macedonio
Selamat Hari Natal
Nixtieklek Milied tajjeb u is-sena t-tabja
Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Ta
Meri Kirihimete
Zul saryn bolon shine ony mend devshuulye
God Jul og Godt Nyttår
Polit nadal e bona annada
Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Tok Pisin (hablado en Papúa Nueva Guinea)
Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia i Szczesliwego Nowego Roku
Boas Festas e um feliz Ano Novo
Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Sarbatori vesele
Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
ciid wanaagsan iyo sanad cusub oo fiican
Wilujeng Natal Sareng Warsa Enggal
God Jul och Gott Nytt År
ºKrismas Njema Na Heri Za Mwaka Mpyaº
Suksan Wan Christmas lae Sawadee Pee Mai
Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Veseloho Vam Rizdva i Shchastlyvoho Novoho Roku!
Chuc Mung Giang Sinh
Sinifesela Ukhisimusi Omuhle Nonyaka Omusha Onempumelelo
My best wishes for everyone round the world. emiliano
Merry Christmas for you all.
Aecio
I agree
There is no love lost amongst siblings
Well ,we never get competitive or anything.
But we have never been that close.
We are not completely detached!!!
But ,it is not like if we don’t meet for a while we starting to feel like something is missing.
I m not a cold-hearted individual
The thing is we never connected
We get one another on the phone but most of the time it ends there.
So
I completely u understand where Yasmani on the latest episode is coming from.
🙂
Pete
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Pete is gonna tell
If Star Wars is any good.
Huge round of applause
BRAVO!..
Thanks..thanks
Hey Dan,
Star Wars is awsome !!!
They dropped the ball in two or three scenes.
But
Overly ,it is totally big screen worthy
I give it two thumbs up
🙂
Pete