Editorial: The holiday warmth that comes from helping those in need

It's easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season.

Holiday to-do lists are overwhelmed by the gifts to buy, meals to plan, cookies to bake and travel to visit family and friends.

Before you know it, the most joyful season of the year has passed in a blur of colored lights and tinsel faster than you can say "Bah humbug."

But what you also must see, what you must make sure to feel is the warmth and spirit of giving to those in need that always embraces this time of the year.

Amazing, generous acts of giving happen all around us every day in warehouses and office lobbies, in houses of worship and outside stores.

We write countless stories in the weeks and days leading to Christmas about suburbanites helping those less fortunate.

The glow of those efforts comes in many forms.

There are volunteers working to collect countless toys to make sure needy children have presents to open Christmas morning.

And students in schools throughout the suburbs collecting, boxing and delivering food items to pantries, so families won't go hungry.

Scores of local businesses and residents answer the call to open their wallets to provide gifts and money to charities.

How about the suburban businessperson who started the Believe Project and is working with the Daily Herald to give a different person $100 each day?

The latest example of holiday philanthropy arrived promptly on time last week at the bottom of a red Salvation Army kettle outside of a Libertyville grocery story.

For the fourth consecutive year, an anonymous "Guardian Angel" deposited seven valuable gold coins.

The Swiss francs are valued at $1,500. The same person is believed to have deposited two packages of seven Swiss gold francs worth $6,930 in 2011, $2,170 in 2012 and $1,960 in 2013.

As in the past, the money came with a handwritten note bearing a heartfelt thank you.

"Dear Salvation Army staff and all of your faithful bell ringers, you are all an inspiration to us in your care of our needy men, women and children. God's special blessings on each one of you."

Inspiring indeed.

Dropping gold coins into Salvation Army kettles in Lake County has become a holiday tradition since the first one turned up more than 25 years ago.

Since then, the organization has received more than 400 gold coins of various types from anonymous donors.

Those coins and other donations help pay for food, rent, clothing, prescriptions and transportation for people in need.

The thing about need is it doesn't surface only during the holidays. For many, making ends meet is a daily challenge.

Let's keep that in mind and strive to embrace the spirit of giving throughout the year.