WITH CHRISTMAS less than a week away (this Sunday for all you last-minute shoppers), it’s a good time to stop and smell the roses — or scented pine cones, given the yuletide time of year.

Sure, the gift-giving season is being impacted by the weak economy. It’s a given that lawmakers in Olympia will face yet another budget crisis in January.

And, yes, the chances of a picture-perfect white Christmas here in the Puget Sound region are, as is usually the case, slim. A gray and even soggy Christmas is more likely.

So, it would be all too easy to have something of a “Bah, humbug!” attitude toward Christmas 2011. If we put things into perspective, however, we really do have many reasons to be merry this Christmas.

While there’s no denying the lousy economy has resulted in some hard times for many people, it’s also true that we live in a land of plenty, where even those less fortunate can enjoy many of life’s amenities — a home or apartment, at least one automobile, color TV, cell phones and Internet access, to name a few.

Still, people are hurting this holiday season. You don’t have to look very far, though, to find many others in Gig Harbor and the greater Key Peninsula area who are quick to offer a helping hand. For example, see page 1A to read about Dan and May Wilson, owners of Gig Harbor’s AllStar Guitar, and their involvement with the Toys for Tots program. We focused in on the Wilsons but included a list of many other businesses in our area which serve as a drop-off location for the charity.

Other fantastic organizations include the Gig Harbor Peninsula FISH Food Bank and the Key Peninsula Community Services Food Bank and Senior Center. Both have seen a sharp increase in demand in the past three years, yet the community continues to respond with fundraisers, food drives and special events, such as the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day, sponsored by Holmes Chiropractic, which asks for non-perishable food items as part of the registration fee.

Additional clubs include Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions and Eagles, each of which focus on ways to help the community. The Basket Brigade celebrated another successful year of delivering Thanksgiving dinner to unsuspecting families’ doorsteps.

The Peninsula Schools Education Foundation raises money to give to Peninsula School District teachers for extra help in the classroom. Backpacks 4 Kids sends nutritious meals and snacks home with students each weekend, when they might not get the nourishment they need otherwise. And volunteers help mentor struggling students in schools, from reading and writing to math.

We’re truly appreciative to live in a community that shows it cares about its citizens, not just during the holiday season but throughout the year.

Here’s hoping we experience the happiest of holidays, wherever they may take us this year.