His most famous book is The Giving Tree (1964). Shel Silverstein wrote more than 800 songs. He won a Grammy Award for Best Country Song (“A Boy Named Sue,” by Johnny Cash in 1969) and another Grammy Award for Best Recording for Children for Where the Sidewalk Ends in 1984….

Born into a Jewish family, Silverstein grew up in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, attended Roosevelt High School and, later, the University of Illinois, from which he was expelled. He then enrolled in the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts which he was attending when he was drafted into the United States Army.

Born in Chicago, Illinois on September 25, 1930, Shel Silverstein enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1950 and served in Korea and Japan, becoming a cartoonist for Stars & Stripes magazine….

There is a place where the sidewalk ends And before the street begins, And there the grass grows soft and white, And there the sun burns crimson bright, And there the moon-bird rests from his flight To cool in the peppermint wind.

This: what lends The Giving Tree its remarkable poignancy is not the tree’s love, but the story’s canvas — the passing of time. Three times the tree entreats the boy to come and play “and be happy” —hearkening back to their lost childhood days—but the boy is “too big,” or “too busy,” or “too old and sad.”…

The Tree. For many—perhaps most—the tree is really a symbol for the boy’s mother; her willingness to give and give despite getting so little in return is symbolic of the unconditional love of a mother for a child….

In short, not tallying things up is one hard lesson for us needy people to learn, but The Giving Tree teaches it so well. She gives and gives and gives, never expecting anything in return, never asking for her due, never REMINDING the Boy of all she has sacrificed. It’s not martyrdom, it’s just unchecked altruism….

Great for all ages above 4, even adults The book opens a forum for parents to talk to their children about responsible love, giving of self, Mother nature, etc.

Not having any to offer him, the tree is “happy” to give him her apples to sell. She is likewise “happy” to give him her branches, and later her trunk, until there is nothing left of her but an old stump, which the old man, or boy, proceeds to sit on. A little Googling corroborated my own distaste….

The Family Giving Tree is a charitable organization that strives to alleviate the consequences of poverty in the California Bay Area. The Family Giving Tree runs two seasonal programs each year, a backpack drive during the summer, and a holiday wish program during December.

Local Salvation Army service centers accept applications for the Angel Tree program each year during the fall, typically from early September through mid-October. You will need to schedule an in-person appointment at the appropriate local office in order to register your child (or children) for the program.

Here are some of the best ways to spread goodwill to all men, women and children this Christmas.

1. Give a child in care a book.
2. Buy a gift for someone escaping abuse.
3. Donate treats to a food bank.
4. Buy a homeless person lunch.
5. Provide a safe bed for a young person.
6. Help someone get home for Christmas.

Here, eight ways to make a difference this Christmas.

• Volunteer at Crisis at Christmas.
• Gift a Refuge Parcel.
• Volunteer as a Call Companion.
• Help a homeless young person.
• Help someone who’s lonely this Christmas.
• Dress up for Elf Day.
• Volunteer at a food bank.
• Volunteer for a local good cause.

34 Nice Things to Do for Others This Christmas

1. Bake a pie and bring it to your neighbor.
2. Buy a coffee for the person behind you in line.
3. Donate to a toy drive.
4. Help build a home for those who need it.
5. Surprise your spouse by scraping the snow off their car in the morning.
6. Donate extra winter clothes, hats and mittens to a local shelter.

Here are seven ways that you can make a positive difference for someone living without a roof over their head:

1. Donate.
2. Contact local services.
3. Help the homeless obtain basic winter necessities.
4. Take part in a fundraising event.
5. Stop for a chat.
6. Give food to their pet.
7. Volunteer.

Donation and Volunteer Ideas for Christmas

1. Help a Needy Family.
2. Visit Your Local Pediatric Wing.
3. Donate Your Hair.
4. Grant a Small Wish.
5. Visit Your Local Humane Society.
6. Make a Child’s Dream Come True.
7. Give to Toys for Tots.
8. Donate to Bell Ringers and Bins.

You can help struggling students succeed in school by donating your time or money as a tutor or a regular person. You might tutor children in reading, spelling, current events, Algebra, writing, cursive, Math, Science, History, and/or English as a Second Language.

Starting November 1, The Salvation Army Angel Trees will appear in Walmart stores throughout America, giving local shoppers the opportunity to select children to purchase gifts and donate them onsite….

The Angel Tree program is one of the most effective resources that provides gifts of new toys, winter coats and clothing to thousands of children and senior citizens who otherwise might not have anything for Christmas. Other presents may be books, games, or educational material.

The Salvation Army is now taking applications for parents who need help getting Christmas gifts for their children. The Salvation Army collects toys for area children through the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program. If applicable, parents should also bring child support income summaries in their name….

Found in local companies and corporations, Angel Trees are decorated with numbered paper angel tags with the first name, age and gender of a child in need of presents. Contributors remove one or more tags from the tree and purchase appropriate gifts for the child or children described on the tags.