Officially, Christmas is over as of today.

Merry Christmas and best of the holidays from Minot Daily News. We hope you had the best of holidays with family and friends.

In today’s society, with the changes and challenges we face, we can’t let the season just go without further involvement.

Our home town, our home state, our home nation continue to face ongoing challenges.

Those challenges don’t end with Christmas. Homelessness, despair, depression continue well beyond the holiday season. They are part and parcel of the culture moving ahead.

Hopefully, we recognize this and continue our focus on the needy in the months ahead. There will be the hungry, the homeless, the seemingly hopeless.

Let’s not forget the the days ahead, when we are still enjoying the glow of the holidays. Instead, let us continue to remember those who did not or could not embrace the benevolence of the holidays.

Instead of our successes, let us not forget the truly needy in any season.

Our holidays will pass. But the season for people’s need will not. That will continue year-round and it will be incessant.

Goodwill charity is needed every day of the year, holiday or not.

We are a charitable community. This is in focus during the holidays.

Hopefully, that extends beyond holidays. Hopefully, we will remain as concerned with helping those in need in the days and weeks to follow.

That is the kind of people we are. And we should be generous – and proud.