Over the weekend, the holiday spirit shone brightly as the Tree of Hands, the Lions Club and other volunteers worked together to distribute a record number of gifts to needy children and celebrate the season at the Tortola Pier Park.

Here at the end of 2017, such charitable efforts — which have been common in recent weeks — exemplify the love and compassion that are needed to take the territory forward out of a catastrophic year.

Though 2017 was generally eventful, it of course will go down in Virgin Islands history as the year of Hurricane Irma. The storm and its aftermath were tragic, and the losses, which continue to this day, will be felt for generations.

In many areas, though, Irma also signalled an opportunity to start with a clean slate.

But a clean slate is not always easy, as the Virgin Islands is coming to find out.

Now the territory has come through the immediate effects of the disaster. Many residents will have electricity, running water and internet access for Christmas, and their lives are starting to return to some sense of normality.

Others, however, are not so lucky. Thousands lost their jobs. Hundreds are still effectively homeless. Many still struggle day to day to get their basic needs met.

And even for the luckiest residents, the reality of the post-Irma situation is only just beginning to sink in.

Many have faced struggles they didn’t anticipate, which could escalate over time. Children, for example, have had to adjust to a makeshift school system. Property owners have been disappointed in their insurance payouts. Drivers have struggled to navigate dilapidated roads. And the list goes on.

Such struggles will continue, and they will rub nerves raw for the foreseeable future.

Thus, it is essential to recommit daily to expressing kindness and remembering the less fortunate not only in this Christmas season but in the weeks and months to come. During such difficult times, the community should keep reminding itself of where it came from, and the days of forbears who frequently lent a hand to help neighbours get by when times were much leaner than they are today.

What better time than the holiday season to refresh such traditions? Many residents, it seems, are already there, as attested by the smiles on children’s faces over the weekend.

We wish everyone a joyous holiday season and a happy New Year.