My wife Sherry is probably one of the most Christmas spirited people I’ve ever met. She loves this season so much and in so many ways.
She wastes no time in decorating the inside and outside of our home, and we’re one of the last in the neighborhood to take it down. She spends a lot of time and energy to make Christmas special for our entire family.
She wanted to share that spirit on our Facebook page and came up with a great idea: Why not ask my Facebook followers to share their favorite Christmas memory or picture on my fan page? We would pick 10 that really touched us, put those names in a hat, and draw out a winner who would receive a KVD gift package of goodies.
The response was overwhelming. We read every one of them, and they brought back a lot of fond memories we have shared.
There were people who recalled tough times during past holidays while others took time to reflect on family members and fishing mentors who have impacted their lives.
As I read through them, it was impossible to pick only 10. There were some really incredible examples of the Christmas spirit. So I kept throwing names in the hat.
Frank Bartholomew of Ohio was the winner. He submitted a picture of him, his wife and a little boy in a courthouse and said, “We adopted this little boy on Dec. 16 this year. This will be my favorite memory of all times for Christmas.”
Pretty neat, don’t you think? If you’d like to see more of the great submissions, check them out on my Kevin VanDam Facebook page.
Reading all of the responses really hit home with me about the true spirit of the Christmas season. Of course, it brought back my own memories of things like the first B-B gun and my first baitcast reel I got as a child at Christmas. But it also reminded me that, while not everyone is in position to exchange extravagant gifts, there are other ways to put smiles and warm the hearts of others this time of year.
For example, you can donate time ringing bells for the Salvation Army, donate toys to Toys for Tots, or volunteer your time to charity groups that do incredible jobs this time of year.
If you like to fish and have a boat, why not gift a fishing trip to neighborhood youngster or the elderly man next door? Go through your old tackle and pass some of it along to a neighbor who has the passion for fishing but not the budget to buy gear. Little things like that can go a long way to make someone’s holiday really special.
The act of caring and giving is prominent throughout our sport. I’m extremely proud of my fellow anglers, sponsors and tournament organizations for how they go out of their way to help others at all times of the year.
So here’s wishing that your efforts this season will bring joy to others this holiday season. And remember, it’s all about the attitude, whether you’re fishing or sharing the Christmas spirit!
Keep that in perspective and remember that it’s all about the attitude!
Kevin VanDam’s column appears weekly on Bassmaster.com. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.