Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.
One more click on Amazon. One last trip to Target. Don’t forget to zoom through the mall. Oh! And, of course, the jewelry store, the toy shop, the bookseller, the shoe store, Marshalls, and grab a few gift cards while you’re out there! Shop til you drop and spend, spend, spend. Sometimes, we get SO caught up in the frenzy of buying (guilty as charged), that we forget that the season is supposed to be about family, making memories, sharing meals and GIVING. I admit to having fallen victim to all the consumer craziness most years. But this year, I attempted to make a small step towards recognizing that the holiday spirit should also include being grateful for what we ALREADY have, and giving back to those that do not have so much of what we, as a family, take for granted. I didn’t have it together enough to do as much as I would have liked, and it wasn’t anything official, but I made sure to sit down with each of my children and talk about what it means to be grateful, and about how each of them could do a little giving back of their own. And if I can brag a little, I was pretty impressed. They chose to donate some of their own money to organizations like End 68 Hours of Hunger and the SPCA. They weeded through the playroom to find toys they no longer played with to drop off at the children’s home. Stuffies that they loved, but admittedly had too many of, were given to the nearby EMS corps for their Boo-Boo bus. And they began to notice that maybe they didn’t need ALL the things they planned to ask for. Now, as I said, it was a fledgling year for us. But I plan to keep it going. And I hope that my children will always realize that while the holiday season will mean receiving gifts, it is also a time to give, as well. If you are interested in trying something similar with your family, here are some sites with fantastic ideas for how and where to begin. Good luck and happy giving!
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/fauzia-burke/21-ways-to-give-back-this_b_6317892.html
http://www.hgtv.com/design-blog/how-to/ways-to-do-good-over-the-holidays
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/how-to/g704/holiday-donations/
http://dailyparent.com/slideshows/9-ways-kids-can-give-back-during-the-holidays/
http://therusticwillow.com/50-ways-give-back-holidays
love & kisses,
Mika Jolie
Carla VanZandt says
I absolutely love this Mika! Thank you for sharing. It’s really not a big thing to do, you know, donate to others. Clear out the toy box, teach our children to give at a time when it’s all about them receiving. I love that this re-emphasized the need to do that not only for ourselves, but our children as well.
Hoping you and your family have a peaceful holiday!
Carla