The spirit of Christmas is embodied in the act of giving. When you strip away the parties and shopping trips, these holidays are a good time to reflect on the generous spirit of humanity that is at the heart of the season. That's not such a stretch when you consider that South Floridians generously give of themselves and from their bank accounts -- not only at Christmas and Hanukkah, but all year long.

Accounts of this good news are all around, including reports in The Miami Herald practically every day. Sometimes the evidence is tucked in small stories: In June, two Tequesta Trace Middle School students, Taryn Daley of Davie and Katie Bonilla of Weston, staffed 10 lemonade stands to raise $2,600 toward pediatric cancer research. Sometimes, the generosity is front-page news, as when self-made millionaire philanthropist Herbert Wertheim pledged $20 million to Florida International University.

Then there are stories that break your heart. Example: Marlie Casseus, a 14-year-old Haitian girl disfigured by a 16-pound tumor under her face, is undergoing surgery and treatment at Miami's Holtz Children's Hospital. Her care is being funded by $95,000 raised by Jackson Memorial Foundation's International Kids Fund.

By any measure, this has been a strong year for charity and goodwill to others. A year ago, the tsunami in Asia began the outpouring of charitable efforts.

When Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast region in August, South Floridians dug deeper into their wallets. They sponsored benefit concerts, student car washes and charity fundraisers. Businesses matched employees' donations. Other firms took from their bottom line: Don Shula's steak house chain and The Graham Companies of Miami Lakes, for example, pledged to give 5 percent of their profits to the Katrina relief efforts.

Churches, students and others took to streets to collect money and supplies. At Calusa Elementary School, students and staff donated more than $10,000 to the American Red Cross for Katrina survivors in the hardest-hit areas. Other groups organized auctions, raffles, even belly dancing for hurricane victims. Some South Floridians opened their homes to homeless people from devastated areas, and others took in pets displaced by Katrina.

Still, there was no lack of charity when Hurricane Wilma struck, leaving millions of South Floridians without power. Neighbors left their no-longer-refrigerated homes to help each other haul tree debris and secure supplies. Those who had power offered ice, hot showers and cold drinks to those without it.

These generous impulses are with us year round, though perhaps not always noticeable. Our giving ranges from the League Against Cancer to the Miami Children's Hospital Foundation. Doctors and hospitals donate their services to children needing surgery for cleft palates, facial scars and other maladies; clubs host sports fundraisers for college scholarships; groups donate toys to needy children here and abroad; students visit elderly shut-ins and write letters to troops in Iraq. And who can forget the diamond ring anonymously dropped into a Salvation Army kettle as a donation?

So today enjoy your lechón and Christmas ham, the gifts and decorations, friends and family gatherings -- and count your blessings. It's the time of year to celebrate good fortune and recommit to helping others.