Rachel Langlois with Cyprus Credit Union shares creative ideas on how you can be generous this holiday season. For more information, go here.
Time:
- Volunteer at an agency such as a food bank, homeless shelter, retirement home, children’s or VA hospital
- Give volunteer hours
- Deliver gifts
- Help collect needed items
- Write letters or cards (esp. to active military personnel)
- Help a neighbor or family member in need with chores, meals, or babysitting
- Gift of the Good Deed: ask for children/grandchildren to perform a good deed and write about it for your Christmas gift. Hang the envelope on the tree and open on Christmas.
Money:
- Let children be the ones to give the money, whether it is theirs or yours that you’ve provided. Allow them to give change to bell ringers and explain what the funds are for.
- Angel Trees or Secret Santas for families in need.
- Select gifts from international aid catalogs like World Vision.
Resources:
- Teach them to give before they receive. Take the time to sort through their toys, book or clothes to determine which items may be donated. Allow them to be active in the decisions so that it is seen as their choice and not a punishment.
- Have them leave one donated item each night with the Elf on the Shelf.
- Create care packages for the homeless. Keep these in your car.
- When grocery shopping ask them to pick out a favorite item to donate to the food bank or a family you know in need
