圣诞节对不同的人有不同的意义。有些人最喜欢的是收到礼物，但对于其他一些人来说是装扮圣诞老人来帮助那些穷困、年老和孤独的人们。

 

I'll be working this Christmas. My job? Santa Claus! White beard and red clothes are optional. I'll be joining thousands of volunteers in Britain who go and help homeless and elderly people as well as poor children.

 

Solidarity¹ comes to life at this time of the year. It's cold and many people feel lonely. I'll be there for them. I was inspired by a woman in Scotland - Beatrice Cadell has just celebrated² her 80th birthday and instead of presents for her, she asked her friends to buy toys. They'll be donated to a toy bank - free toys for children whose parents can't afford to buy them any.

 

Cadell said: "Everyone that turned up to my birthday do was absolutely brilliant! Somebody else can benefit. We don't need it. We're old."

 

There are plenty of places which welcome a helping³ hand at Christmas. The charity Crisis at Christmas, for example, has been looking for more than 10,000 volunteers to assist guests in their centres for homeless people. Volunteers with specialist skills like dentists, hairdressers, lorry drivers and performers are particularly welcome.

 

Another organisation⁴, Community Christmas, is keen on volunteers who wish to offer companionship to lonely, elderly people on Christmas Day – it can be over a full lunch or just a cup of tea. They have a website with a location page so that good Samaritans can register their interest in helping out and find out more.

 

Scrooge is a character very much associated with this time of year. He's the central figure in A Christmas Carol, a classic by the English writer Charles Dickens. Scrooge is a selfish man who only helps himself. In the world of volunteering, there's no Scrooge in sight. We're all proud and happy Santas. Merry Christmas!

点击收听单词发音