How many follow the example of Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) and help poor/under previleged people ?

First, Santa Claus is a commercial creation of the 1950's used to sell crap at Christmas. The example of serving the poor comes from the Catholic Saint, Nicholas, who gave food to poor children to honor the birth of Christ. Christ told Peter, the apostle, to feed his sheep and true christians take this as a directive in modern times.

The idea that Christmas presents are helping the poor is ridiculous. If you want to help the working poor, work for living wage laws year round instead of buying some Christmas crap once per year.

I do not celebrate the commercial Christmas. As a christian this is the day that Christ arrived and the tinsel, materialism and blow up figures are an insult to the gravity of Christ's birth. I don't have to buy a stranger gifts to asuage my guilt as I work for justice year round. Want to help poor kids? Then insist on vocational training in public schools. Want to help their parents? Lets talk Universal health care. Then they'll be able to afford their own presents.

Capitalism has made a mockery of this holiday. The poor in this country are not poor in the rest of the world where people would gladly eat what they throw away and medical care is non-existant.

$100.00 over a year is nothing but it makes people feel good about themselves. This type of giving is selfish.

I will spend Christmas in prayer and my family will receive modest gifts that reflect the seriousness of the holiday.

Those who spend this time racing around to get a good deed in and buy things noone needs are a symptom of why we have poor folk in the first place.

Commercial Christmas celebrations reveal that folks just dont "get it". So, yes, I follow the example of St. Nick, year round. Santa Claus is a cruel joke, a lie in fact, and doesn't represent giving but rather getting. Anyone who thinks that small acts of charity in Dec is helping the poor is insane. They will be just as poor with bigger bills on the 26th because we send the message that if you don't get something on Christmas, the world owes you.

Empowerment, not hand-outs. Peace through justice and giving that actually changes something. Now that would be a real Christmas

There are brothers who ran a Santa Claus look-alike contest to help poor people. They give free stuffs to street kids at Cebu with the winner to go with them.

I always try to help the less fortunate, not just at Christmas time.

In our mall, there is a Salvation Army Christmas tree. You pick a name off the tree, follow the instructions and buy a present for a child who is less fortunate.

I also donate food items to the homeless shelter.

Every little bit helps...even if one gives .50 cents to the bell ringers outside the mall/store.

my kids and i get an older angel (usually 13 or older) off the angel tree. they are the ones usually left at the end. we spend about $100 on them. i also give both my children a $20 bill to drop in a kettle when i take them shopping for presents for the family.

You misrepresent Santa. He does not give to the poor or underprivileged. He gives to those who have been good, in other words to those who have earned it.