The entire world over, Christmastime sees children rushing to see if their footwear has been filled with candy and gifts. In Italy, La Befana the good witch fills children’s shoes with presents on the eve of Epiphany, Jan. 5. Dutch children fill their clogs with straw for the magical horse Sintirklass, with hopes that Old Saint Nick will fill their shoes with gifts. Here in the United States, the tradition of hanging a Christmas stocking on the fireplace first appeared in early nineteenth century story illustrations by Thomas Nast. One thing ties all of these traditions together: the size of the gifts. Stocking stuffers must be small.
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Deck the halls with boughs of holly! Like many Christmas songs, this ditty is outdated. Who actually decorates with live holly anymore? Then again, many people still light up their homes with incandescent holiday lights – even though they’re energy hogs that are notorious for blowing fuses. For a greener holiday season, we suggest ![Hurricane Sandy & Marblehead [Front Street 7]](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8046/8136033238_57e2c0d464_m.jpg "Hurricane Sandy & Marblehead [Front Street 7] by Brian Birke, on Flickr")
Hurricane Sandy’s path along the East Coast was one of incredible destruction. Although the storm was officially downgraded from hurricane to “superstorm” just before hitting the New Jersey shore, Sandy is predicted to have caused at least $20 billion in property damage. Ninety-four people lost their lives in the storm. As survivors piece their lives back together, the rest of us naturally wonder what we can learn from this horrific event. Hopefully, Sandy’s terror will spur all Americans to better prepare for emergencies.
Giving emergency supplies as a holiday gift may seem boring or overly practical, but doing so sends the sign that you deeply care about your loved ones’ welfare. Plus, many emergency items are great “tuck-ins” for those presents that just need a little something extra. For example, an emergency LED flashlight is easily tucked into a stocking, 
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What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? Here at COAST, we’re filled with gratitude for the first responders who rush in to face disasters head-on while others run away. Firefighters, police officers, coast guardsmen, volunteers – as a nation, we are indebted to these groups of extraordinary individuals who are willing to put their own lives at risk in order to help others.
