Some people lament that Christmas seems like a celebration of conspicuous consumption rather than a religious holiday. Certainly we spend enough on gifts, and more than enough on such toss-away items as wrapping paper and bows. During these last few days before Christmas, we’re all in a frantic rush to buy something.

The backdrop that frenzy is a quiet demonstration of peace and good will. An impressive amount of charity takes place very privately, and even the most cynical among us admit that the spirit of the holidays is at least as responsible for the pervasive generosity as year-end tax deductions possibly could be.

"Underprivileged children" provide a sentimental favorite charity; we can add warmth to our own lives with the thought that we’ve made their Christmases merrier. Local organizations have made an art of collecting gifts and distributing them to those who need them most. Tremendous amounts of work and coordination are involved and should be recognized.

Food banks also benefit handsomely during the holidays; no one should be hungry during this time of plenty. Schoolchildren glean the surplus from their families’ pantries (sometimes necessitating last-minute changes in dinner menus by cooks whose ingredients have disappeared). Shoppers add a little extra to their baskets to contribute to good causes. Community dinners materialize out of thing air; soup kitchens stock up; shelters fill their larders.

It’s also a time of sharing warmth. As the weather grows colder, cast-off coats, hats and gloves are matched with people who don’t have their own. When we step outside, we all ought to remember that for some, getting warm isn’t simply a matter of turning up the heat. That’s a blessing most of us take for granted. Perhaps we’ll appreciated it more as natural-gas prices take another leap upward, but turning the thermostat down to 65 degrees or even 60 isn’t quite the same as living in an appliance box under a bridge.

We’re taught that it’s more blessed to give than to receive, and yet it’s no coincidence that our Christmas routines involve exchanging gifts. Far, far too often we give because it’s expected, rather than where it’s needed. We have more than we need, sometimes more even than we want. Perhaps we should take up the British tradition of Boxing Day and vow to spend Dec. 26 giving away at least as much as we received on Dec. 25.