Christmas, celebrated in many countries of the world, is a time of abundance usually spent at home with family. However, not everyone is fortunate to have a home or a family, so this is also a time for sharing.

On Christmas Eve in 2008, instead of being in the comfort of home with my relatives, I joined a group of friends to cook, prepare and distribute meals to homeless persons living in different districts of Lisbon. We also provided medical assistance with the support of a private hospital.

Delivering well-being, relieving some suffering and especially sharing moments of joy with persons who face such of hardships in life just gave me the best Christmas ever. At the same time it reminded me how fortunate I am.

Diogo Calado is a researcher and lecturer at Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and a doctoral candidate in Chinese internal medicine and pharmaceutical sciences.