Christmas spirit means many things to many people.
But in Fife this year, it meant hundreds of children woke up to gifts when otherwise there might have been none.
It meant families were able to put food on the table when otherwise Christmas dinner would have been cancelled.
As most of the population looked forward to unwrapping gifts and tucking into a sumptuous feast on December 25, others despaired at being unable to afford presents for their children or to feed them and keep them warm over the two-week holiday.
The Cottage Family Centre in Kirkcaldy was just one of a legion of organisations which leaped into action to ensure those without had something to open, and food enough to keep them from going hungry.
People across the region donated money, food and toys to the Cottage Centre appeal and other organisations, including Fife’s foodbanks.
Just days before Christmas I visited a warehouse packed with hundreds of crates of food, clothes and toys, thanks to an appeal by ‘Team Cottage’.
As well as warm jackets and presents to open for children there were essentials others take for granted, such as milk or bread.
Christmas dinner was a steak pie, as many do not have the facilities to cook a turkey dinner.
An army of volunteers packed up a fleet of vans and headed out to all corners of the town and beyond to deliver to the homes of 1,100 impoverished children, to ensure they could enjoy Christmas like their friends.
Seeing the sheer volume of packages amassed for those facing significant hardship – the criteria to qualify – was an overwhelming eye-opener and brought a mixture of emotions.
While desperately sad and infuriating that aid was needed on such a scale in a supposedly wealthy country it was also heart-warming to see how ordinary people had stepped up to help.
I heard amazing stories of generosity ranging from a little boy who emptied his piggy bank and those with little to give but who spared a tenner to one massive donation of £10,000.
That’s Christmas spirit.
