The Spirit of Giving: 10 Ways to Inspire a Compassionate Holiday
The Holidays mean so many different things for each person or family. I think we can all agree that at the heart of this time of year, is the spirit of giving. In our family we talk a lot about the importance of not only being grateful for what we have and celebrating the importance of family and community but also to look for ways to spread some of that loving holiday spirit around to others, especially those that may struggle this time of year.
Here are a few ideas for ways to give back, get involved with your local community or even focus gift giving on something that inspires, kindness, compassion or environmental stewardship:
1.) Necessity Bags for the Homeless Organize a Holiday gathering with friends or family and ask attendees to bring “necessity items” to contribute to creating gift bags for the homeless. Some ideas for items are gloves, socks, tissues, hand sanitizer, toothbrushes, toothpaste, wipes, perhaps $1-$5 in each bag. Have each guest/family focus on one item and set a goal for the amount of bags you will make(10, 20?). Have a table cleared to have items spread upon and organized into categories. You can have children help assemble if age ready for this task. Put all items into a large ziplock bag, as this bag cab be useful to a homeless person as well. Another idea is to have younger kids hand make little cards to include in bags. Once completed, you can decide to hand them out yourselves, if you know of places where they could be easily and safely distributed. You could also research a homeless shelter to donate them to.
2.) Recycled Bracelet Gifts by 4Ocean This is an inspiring organization that is working to clean up trash from the ocean. Each recycled bracelet is produced from a pound of trash pulled from the sea.
These are great gifts for people of all ages and raise awareness about environmental stewardship. Each one comes in a nice little cloth bag with information on the work the organization is doing. When I wrote this post, through worldwide support and the purchase of 4Ocean bracelets, they have removed 2,069,400 pounds of trash from the sea…and counting! Be a part of this awesome movement!! You can get them on Amazon here or directly from the organization here. Either way, you will be supporting this important work.
3.) One World Play Project Futbol Do your kids love soccer or do you know someone who does? Then purchase a One World Futbol By One World Play Project. For each ball purchased a portion of the proceeds is donated to provide play equipment to communities in need. Not to mention this ball is ultra durable and made of non-toxic materials. Be sure to let the recipient of this gift know about the One World Play Project, so they too can spread the word. Purchase on Amazon here.
4.) Gift Card from Heifer International My kids recieved a gift card from Heifer last year from their grandma. They each got $50 to spend in the Heifer International Catalog. This organization is working to end hunger and poverty world wide. Our kids got to look through the catalog and gain some perspective on the different struggles that people face around the world and then make a choice to donate their gift card money towards something that would help another family. The main categories to choose from are Animals, Empowering Women, Sustainable Farming and Basic Necessities. Check it out here.
5.) Volunteer at a Homeless Shelter or Foodbank You can help prepare or package meals for the holidays. There are a couple events in our town that we try to attend each Holiday season and I am certain that with a little research, you can find a place near you to volunteer.
For one event we helped serve Thanksgiving meals to homeless or low-income folks in our area. We also volunteered at a local homeless shelter to help prepare a meal that would later be distributed to homeless people at the shelter. My son helped peel a mountain of carrots and my daughter helped put utensils into all of the containers for distribution. Get out there and spread some love and kindness.
6.) Donate Jackets Look through your closets and collect old jackets that the kids have grown out of or that don't seem to get much use anymore. St.Vincent de Paul typically accepts donations of warm jackets when those temps start to drop come winter. Homeless Shelters are another good place to drop off jackets. Have the kids be a part of this and explain what you are doing and why.
7.) Donate Old Toys Have the kids help you clean out old, gently used toys to donate to homeless shelters or hospitals. Toys for Tots is another organization whose focus is on collecting and distributing toys to families in need. Learn more about them here.
8.) Plant a Tree in Honor of Someone Here is a lovely idea to have a tree planted in honor of someone through and organization called A Living Tribute. They will receive a beautiful card as a keepsake to commemorate the moment. What we breath in, trees breathe out. What trees breathe in, we breathe out. I’d say it’s a pretty important relationship to support. The tree will be planted on protected public land to help restore a forest. If you have children have them sit with you and make the purchase, perhaps for Grandma or Grandpa or a dear friend? Learn more here.
9.) Shop at Krochet Kids International Do some Holiday shopping at Krochet Kids and know that your purchase helps break the cycle of poverty and provide job opportunities for women in need. With your purchase you will be given information about a woman from Uganda or Peru who hand crafted the product and visit her online profile. My daughter got the Owl beanie when she was younger and NEVER wanted to take it off….sigh. Pretty hip stuff for kids and adults! Check a couple cute items I like here and here. My daughter loved her Owl beanie which you can check out here.
10.) Shop Tegu Blocks Looking for gifts for younger kids or the little builder in your family. This is another great way to shop with a conscience. These blocks are manufactured in Honduras, the 3rdpoorest nation in the western hemisphere and this company is hoping to help change that by providing job creation with a fair wage and opportunities for growth. The name is linked to the location of the toy factory in Tegucigalpa. Tegu blocks are simple and beautiful AND magnetized for extra fun building. They are made from wood and for every tree harvested for the production of the product, the company replants close to 1000 new trees. Buy on Amazon here. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of purchase page on Amazon and read a bit about the fellows that started it all.
Alright people, let’s get out there and spread some love and kindness while teaching our children about the importance of giving back this holiday season. If you are interested in more eco-minded, earth friendly Holiday gifts to promote environmental stewardship in your community, check out this post.