"The truth is most of them did something to be here," said David Tolliver, chaplain at Jefferson City Correctional Center (JCCC). "But they're still people."
Separated from their families, inmates neither see festive decorations around the prison nor were they likely to give or receive gifts.
"This time of year reminds them that they're not where they can get with family," Tolliver said.
Through outside programs like Angel Tree and Prayers for Prisoners, inmates are able to remotely feel a part of the traditional holiday experience. Angel Tree allows inmates to sign-up their children to receive donated gifts and Prayers for Prisoners will simply send a Christmas greeting to an inmate.
For Christians and Catholics, the religious and spiritual programming allows them to celebrate the Christmas season through worship. Volunteer ministers bring Christmas-related sermons at their regularly-scheduled chapel times. And the inmate-led Christian groups are allowed a food event as a small celebration.
"That's the closest they will get to happiness, unity, good food and song," said Doug Worsham, Department of Corrections Supervisor of Religious and spiritual programming. "If they can go to that, it can make a big difference in their month."
The same opportunities are allowed for other significant holidays in other accommodated religions practiced among inmates. For example, the Native Americans recently celebrated the Winter Solstice with a food event.
The American Rehabilitation Ministries Prison Outreach Christmas Card program at JCCC is by far the most popular of the holiday programs, Tolliver said. Even most of those who do not declare Christianity as their religion still would like to receive Christmas-related themes in their allotted three cards per month during November and December to send to their friends or family outside the prison.
Being a maximum security prison, the above programs are the extent of how inmates might in some way touch the holiday experience they are missing.
At lower security prisons across the state, additional programs allow for a little more expression of faith and celebration.
For example, inmates at the Moberly Correctional Center write their own Christmas play, sewing the costumes and building the sets to go along with it. And at Algoa Correctional Center, a Mennonite community bakes and delivers cookies to every inmate and corrections officer, who wants them.
When Worsham was chaplain at lower-security prisons, he would show Christmas films to encourage group discussions.
"It meant a lot to those guys; it was therapeutic," he said. "Like all of us, they watched the film to feel good or bring back a moment from childhood."
The inmate-led groups sometimes purchase Christmas-related books or CDs, available to be checked out.
Occasionally, groups will donate Christmas-themed magazines and literature or hygiene gift bags.
None of these programs use tax dollars. Most come from outside donations. And the inmate-led events are supported through the prison canteen profits.
All of these programs cannot replace what an inmate misses by being inside.
"I do more counseling (now) than other times of the year," said Tolliver, who has been a chaplain for three years.
For the average person, the holidays can bring stress trying to fulfill high expectations or sadness and loneliness for those simply waiting for the season to pass by, Worsham said.
"An offender's situation is magnified because of the holidays," Worsham said.
Many regret the experiences they will not have, such as seeing their children unwrap gifts, and others wrestle with going through the first holidays after losing a loved one.
"Most of them privately struggle," Worsham said. "Many are in silent anguish because they won't show weakness.
"They're glad when it's over, to get back to normal expectations."
For others, they're looking for any sample of the outside world's holiday season.
"Sometimes they want to hear what you are doing for Christmas," Worsham said.
Even a chapel volunteer offering "Merry Christmas" can mean a lot.
"It's the humanity connection," Worsham said.
Tolliver wanted to remind readers that along with other emergency service personnel in the community, many corrections workers will spend the holiday away from their loved ones for the safety and welfare of the community.
"If you know a family affected by incarceration, encourage them," he continued. "They're not perfect, but they're victims too, trying to survive."