Published: December 11, 2008

We are nearing the end of another semester. A quick glance around Columbus Circle indicates that we are already knee-deep in the holiday season. There is much talk of scaling back holiday purchases this year in light of the recession, and this year’s Black Friday was no exception. Shoppers desperate for discounts lined up before dawn at stores across the country, and when the doors were opened, chaos ensued. Many people were injured, and at least one man, a temporary employee at a Long Island Wal-Mart, was killed when shoppers trampled him to death. If a new flat-screen television is really worth the cost of a human life, then we need to seriously re-evaluate our priorities.

This holiday season, take the opportunity to give something back. Skip the malls, and use some of your gift money to donate to a charity. Take some time to volunteer. Staff writer Laura Marostica has a number of ideas on page 16. She lists a few traditional soup kitchens that need help, but you may find some surprising ways to put your many skills to good use.

We spend most of the year at a Jesuit institution that encourages us to consider the implications of our actions on greater society. Community service is a large part of the Jesuit message, and now is not the time to leave that message behind. It is particularly important that we recall the Jesuit core ideals at this time of the year, especially in this economic climate. We must concern ourselves with becoming men and women for others and reach out to the world around us. It is our responsibility to put the values we have learned to good use this season. That is truly the best gift we can give.