It doesn't matter how many times I watch It's A Wonderful Life, I still get misty-eyed when George Bailey's friends and neighbors bail him out with a laundry basket filled with cash to pay off the bank examiner.

I can almost recite the script to Miracle on 34th Street, but I still smile when the U.S. Postal Service dumps mountains of Santa letters on Judge Henry Harper's desk and he rules that Kris Kringle is, indeed, the one and only Santa Claus.

And no matter how many times I watch White Christmas, I still feel sorry for Bing Crosby when Rosemary Clooney misinterprets his attempt to do something nice for the general.

Christmas movies ... I look forward to them every year.

But I don't know if it's actually the Christmas movies I like so much, or if it's the warm feeling I get from the messages that they deliver—messages that we should all heed and examples that we should all follow, especially at this time of year.

Scrooge found out in one very long night that greed is wrong, and that sharing Christmas with others is the only way to truly appreciate the holiday.

He may have come through with an operation for Tiny Tim and a goose for the Cratchetts, but on a smaller scale you can come through, too.

Do something nice for someone less fortunate this Christmas. Your gift of food and assorted Christmas presents for families in need will not only make their holiday brighter, but will also give you a very warm, special feeling inside. And isn't that what Christmas is really all about?

Through George Bailey, we discovered how many lives we each touch in our own lifetime, without even realizing it ourselves, and how much of a difference one person can make.

Maybe you'll never pull your brother from an icy pond, but you can make a difference this Christmas in a number of ways.

Support the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots drive by dropping off a new, unwrapped gift at a local Coldwell Banker office; provide food for the less fortunate with a donation to the Second Harvest Food Bank; or make the holidays a bit brighter for a youngster with the donation of a gift to the Holiday Angels Toy Drive at your local Starbucks. With just a little effort on your part, you can make a difference and touch the lives of others in a very positive way.

Kris Kringle taught us that dreams can come true—especially at Christmas time—as long as we believe. Sure, he came up with a brand new house for Natalie Wood, complete with a swing set in the backyard. While there's no way any of us could match that—after all, he is Santa Claus—there are some dreams we can help to make come true.

The Saratoga Foothill Club is putting together holiday food baskets for low-income seniors and needy families, and Saratoga High School is collecting canned food, warm coats and teddy bears for the victims of the Southern California fires.

Bank of the West in downtown Los Gatos had the right idea. Its walls were covered with tags indicating the name and age of child along with his or her gift wish. Anyone could pick one and fulfill that wish. It's not much, but with a little effort on your part, you can help make a child's Christmas dream come true.

Bing proved to us that it's possible to do something nice for someone else without expecting anything in return. Maybe you can't put on a Broadway show in an old barn, or even make it snow in time for Christmas—but there are many opportunities for you to do something nice for others. If you need some ideas or phone numbers, give me a call and I'll be glad to help.

Don't expect anything in return for your generosity—but believe me, you'll get something ... a very special Christmas feeling.

Want to talk? Call me at 408.354.3110, ext. 31, or drop me a note at dsparrer@svcn.com.