For our household, Christmas starts the day after Halloween as the twins can’t wait to put up holiday decorations and go visit Santa. I go shopping on Black Friday to get the best deals, check everybody off on the Christmas gift list, write holiday parties on the calendar, and get our stockings hung up. We even go so far as to figure out which Christmas church service we are going to attend at the beginning of December. But that is not enough to get into the true idea of Christmas.
Help Those Less Fortunate
A great way to help is to take a name off of the Angel Tree at church or at one of the department stores to help a needy child. However, bear in mind that the gifts you select might be the only ones that child receives so go out like they are another one of your family members you are buying gifts for. Put yourself into that child’s shoes. If your budget just doesn’t allow to be able to spend the money to get the child’s wish list then just purchase some generic gifts to drop off as extra gifts can always be added to other children’s gifts to make them more complete. Don’t get me wrong as it is great to want to help, but imagine your child getting a $5 Garanimals game and a $5 pair of PJ’s for all of their Christmas when someone else could have gotten them the bike they really wanted or that specific game or toy they were dying to have. Just bear in mind it is the time to give so give from your heart and you will feel so rewarded.
Get Involved with the Community
Volunteer some time to help the community. Remember as a child when you would volunteer in a soup kitchen or doing a mission trip to help someone less fortunate. Whether it was because your parents made you or it was out of the goodness of your heart, it’s good to get that spirit of Christmas all throughout life. Call local food banks, shelters, or organizations to see where your help might be needed. Another great way to get involved is to go Christmas caroling. Many people go to particular communities while others go to children’s hospitals or retirement homes to bring them some cheer.
Visit Others
Whether it is somebody in your family, a friend or perhaps an acquaintance, now might be a good time to visit. Just stop by for a friendly visit to let that person know that you were thinking of them. If you know somebody who has lost a loved one recently, that would be a great place to start so they feel less alone. Just imagine if somebody called you out of the blue or stopped by to visit, how good that would make you feel that you were thought about. Visit with others, spread the holiday spirit, and bring some joy into somebody’s life.
Whether you are giving, serving, or visiting the community, there is so much more to Christmas than Santa and Christmas presents. Take a step back and reflect what you have done to bring some joy to somebody else’s life or if you’ve done anything to make a difference to just one person. Not only is it a rewarding experience, but it is also a happy memory that you helped create for somebody else. Merry Christmas!.