[rambo47]

I've given some extravagant gifts over the years, especially to my wife. But those pale in comparison to someone I gave a smartphone to years ago. I was deep in my Treo phase and had just joined a forum. Another member was trying to find a good used Treo to keep in touch with her husband who just went on deployment overseas. Folks were offering her great deals on their old used kit, but she was an army wife and even a cheap phone was expensive to her.

I set her up with a new Treo 650 (the best they had at the time) and paid for a 1-year data plan to go with it. Even back in the olden days of Treos, that lineup was very good for taking/sending quick videos. The resolution was low but quality was surprisingly decent. And it was both quick and easy to share a short video message. It had quite an impact on the recipient, and that had an impact on me. Those were the go-go years on Wall Street and I was making so much while the families of soldiers were struggling just to keep their heads above water. This lead to an even deeper involvement for me with military charities and assistance programs. For me, that's what the spirit of Christmas is really all about.