Everyone seems to be a little more generous and charitable around Christmas.
Although the spirit of giving can abound this time of year, the spirit of “me-ism” can quickly sneak in if we’re not careful. As much as we want our children to get excited about all of the festivities of the holidays, we also want to teach them to focus their hearts and minds outward on others. It’s the season to give… we have survived 2020 and in gratitude why not spread the love in our beautiful village
Below you will find 20 relatively simple ways your family can serve together this holiday season. Many of these activities require little to no money. Try one, two, or even all of them (if you’re really ambitious).
1.Deliver cookies to the employees at a fire station, police station, or municipality.
2. Pool together some money to buy a tank of gas for a friend or relative who can’t afford to go home for Christmas.
3. Visit one of the nursing homes and spend time with the elderly.
4. Prepare a meal together as a family and take it to a sick or elderly friend.
5. Deliver a baked good to your neighbours or offer to mow their lawn
6. Host a Christmas dinner for the widows and widowers at your church.
7. Host a packing party for a shoebox of gifts/personal items to a for a family of collective of people who are struggling. — its often the only gift they will receive.
8. Take balloons or small gifts to the children’s ward of your local hospital. You probably won’t be able to deliver them to the children themselves due to privacy policies, but you can ask the nurses to deliver them or ask permission of the parents who happen to be present at the time.
9.Choose a day to serve each other inside your own home. Take out the trash for your husband, encourage your children to pick up their sibling’s toys, and show appreciation for one another.
10. Encourage every member of your family to look each person they come across that day in the eye, smile, and express their appreciation with a simple “thank you” or a compliment.
11.Go to the grocery store together as a family and pick up a few items for your local food pantry. Many stores have drop-off locations within the store itself during the Christmas seasons.
12. Volunteer to babysit, as a family, for a couple with small children so that they can go out on a date.
13 Clean out your coat closet and take your old coats to a local shelter.
14. Set the timer for 10 minutes. Have each person in your house go through their books and choose a few to donate to your local library (or elsewhere).
15.Run a race for a good cause
16. Take lunches to people who work during the holidays.
17. Give an animal the gift of a forever home
18. Donate toys to give to those in need. The Round table is running a toy drive at the Mtunzini Country club
19. Make a blanket for someone who needs it.
20. Send homemade Christmas cards to local community services.