It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season.

There are presents to buy, parties to attend and family to visit, and sometimes we forget this is a season of giving.

In this issue of the Shelby County Reporter, we bring you stories of local residents and groups who found time to put others first. We hope you’ll enjoy these heart-warming stories as much as we did.

Greystone residents Suzette and Gabe Davie have been out of the country for three months with their nonprofit Grace to Ukraine. The mission of the organization is to minister to orphans, provide educational opportunities to orphans and facilitate adoptions. When they return, they plan to bring home three children to join their brood of seven, including four adopted kids, at home.

Students at Linda Nolen Learning Center recently dramatized “The Night Before Christmas” but added an Alabama twist. The play featured Iron Bowl tailgate parties, the Desoto Caverns and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville.

Calera resident Charlotte Horne gave the gift of life to her husband, Alan, by donating her kidney to him in September. This Christmas, they are celebrating Alan’s health and encouraging others to become organ donors.

Helena resident Claudia Deason celebrates Christmas in a very traditional way – with family, friends and good food. Deason, whose family is Greek, shared her recipe for Koulourakia, a lightly sweet, buttery cookie.

Of course, our Christmas edition wouldn’t be complete without our annual Letters to Santa section featuring letters from local first graders. Don’t worry. This issue was distributed on Christmas Eve to give Santa enough time to review the lists.

As usual, our local students made us laugh and even tear up with their sweet requests this year.

Whatever you decide to give this year – presents, food or simply your time and love – we hope you have a safe and merry Christmas.