I will never forget the end scene in the film The Polar Express, where the young boy unwraps one of Santa’s bells.

He puts it up to his ear and gives it a shake, hearing the magical sound. His sister does the same.

But when both parents try it, they don’t hear anything, saying how unfortunate that the bell was broken.

As the years passed, the boy’s friends could no longer hear the bell, and one day it also fell silent for his sister.

But he kept hearing it, even in his old age. How sad – he was the only one left who still believed in the spirit of Christmas.

As the film tries to portray, the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.

I long to be a boy again to hear those sleigh bells ring, filling me with the wonder of Christmas.

I remember following my dad through the deep snow to cut our tree. (You didn’t need a permit then.) And the time we took a Christmas train ride to Winnipeg. That was our Polar Express.

One year my sister opened everyone’s gift on Christmas Eve; the wrapping paper was everywhere.

And I’ll never forget good ol’ Uncle Tom who tripped and fell on my race car set that my brother diligently assembled on Christmas morning. The stock car set was smashed to pieces, along with my spirit. But it didn’t take long to regain it because I was still that innocent little boy who could hear Santa’s bells when nobody else could.

I often marvelled how he fit into the chimney and was able to visit every house in our town. And I could barely contain my excitement on the last day of school when Santa visited and gave every student a stocking full of toys.

As the years went by, I too lost the spirit of Christmas and sadly could no longer hear those bells. That’s what made me think of The Polar Express.

But it’s never too late to get that spirit back, and you don’t have to have a time machine to do it.

I saw it the other day at the Oliver Food Bank, where Jo Tanner and friends dished out an entire turkey breakfast for dozens of people. And I see it every morning and afternoon when shining “Knight” Vince Harvey picks up the “tummy bags” full of food destined for needy families.

Despite being a grizzled old newsman, I was touched when I saw a woman cry when given a little extra turkey to take home from the food bank.

Now that is what Christmas spirit is all about – enough to make me hear those bells again.

For those people who have lost their spirit, you are not alone. There are millions like you who just need to find something to believe in.

Lyonel Doherty, editor