I SEE that the spirit of Christmas is truly with us; I refer to your anonymous writer of 'There are empty houses in abundance' (Letter, December 3). Why not just call it 'No room at the inn?'

It is blatantly apparent that your writer does not, or has never understood many of the reasons why so many in our society become homeless. If your writer took the time and trouble to do some reading and research on this matter he/she would find some of the most harrowing stories imaginable.

Many and varied are the causes of homelessness and to try to document them in such a short space would be nigh on impossible.

I found this item most disagreeable not just in the fact that it was written with such a slanted view, but for the writer to suggest that the 'homeless get their act together' is nothing more than insensitivity to the feelings of others and the lack of not wanting to understand or not caring to understand the situations that many people find themselves in today. Homelessness is not something that someone chooses to have thrust on him or her.

Our society has many faults, but it also contains many virtues, one of those is that many people devote their lives to helping those who are less fortunate than others.

For your anonymous letter writer to suggest that people are homeless for the sake of not trying is an insult to decent people.

B BESTON (Mr), Yorkshire Street, Accrington.