Dear Santa,

We know things are a little busy for you right now, but we hope you can find the time to have a look at our wish list. Some of them you’ve heard from us before, and probably from a few others, too.

Just to refresh your memory, we asked only for gifts for others, as we’d like to spread the good cheer in keeping with the character of the season. We’ve pointed out how residents of the townships, region, province and even the country as a whole haven’t always got what they deserved, especially from the politicians and bureaucrats who are supposed to be serving the public interest. Sometimes they get just the opposite, in fact. 

Again, we ask this in the true spirit of Christmas – please note that we are not looking for anything for ourselves. We only want what is best for others. That said, here is our wish list for some of the folks who have graced the pages of The Observer – some naughty and some nice. 

For Woolwich council: The spirit of skepticism. That way, councillors might figure out that many of the policies formulated by bureaucrats – here and at Queen’s Park – are designed against the public interest, not for the people.

For Wellesley council: A back-to-basics approach, in which councillors tend to make spending decisions as if the money was coming out of their own pockets, there is no bottomless well and taxpayers’ wallets actually matter.

For regional council: A primer on basic economics. And the perils of mission creep. A book on basic math and democracy wouldn’t hurt, either.

For regional residents: Deliverance from years of mismanagement, pet projects and bureaucratic bloat.

For Premier Doug Ford: Some insight into democratic principles and toning down the ideology.

For Ontarians: A respite from the rapidly changing landscape, literally and figuratively.

For Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: A bit more substance to go with the style. Oh, and awareness that virtue signalling does not equal leadership; likewise for wasteful spending.

For the people of the US: A whole lot less Donald Trump. Better yet, none at all.

For pundits and cartoonists: A whole lot more Donald Trump. Fish, barrel, rifle.

For our readers: All the best for the holiday season. And a very Merry Christmas.

Christmas is the closest thing we have to a universal holiday; even the purveyors of junk food shut down for the day.

Not everyone gets a pass from work, of course. From convenience stores to essential services, some people have to toil while the rest of us get to enjoy a day off, whether we celebrate Christmas or not.

It’s a time of year that should be relaxing and carefree.

Many of us can count our blessings even in this time of rampant inflation and economic uncertainty, but that’s not the case for everyone in our community. For some, the season means extra hardship as an already bare cupboard suddenly seems particularly barren. Then there’s the stress of dealing with the disappointed looks in their children’s eyes.

This harsh reality does not jibe with our sense of what Christmas should be. Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to do something to change reality in our little corner of the world. While response to local drives has been good, it’s not too late to make a difference by dropping off a toy, clothing item or food item in support of those who need them.

More broadly, Christmas often finds us concentrating on what’s important in our lives – family and friends, in particular – and is a prime time for contemplating what we can do collectively to keep the pleasant atmosphere intact for increasingly larger chunks of the year. The enjoyment of a better quality of life goes well beyond a few weeks in December. Or should.