The holiday season is upon us, and what better time is there to spread a little holiday cheer. Of course, we all shop for presents, and we all have our lists of gifts for the kids and family members. Sometimes though the best gifts, the ones that give you the most joy, are those that are given to complete strangers and those in need. This week we have ten great ways to spread a little holiday cheer.
Volunteer at your local animal shelter
If you’re an animal lover (or your kids are), a great act of giving is to volunteer at your local animal shelter as a family. Often the dogs need to be walked and socialized, which is a great activity for the family. Ask the shelter what’s on their wish list and stop by the pet store before you volunteer. Shelters often need collars, toys, beds, and dog or cat food. Think of yourself as a Santa for pets!
Thank your local firefighters
Remember, when you are opening presents or spending the day with your family, many brave men and women are spending their holiday protecting the rest of us. Call the non-emergency number of your local fire department to find out how many firefighters they typically have at any given time. Then, put together a basket of baked goods that you can drop off to thank these brave men and women for their service.
Volunteer at a soup kitchen
Take time this year to give back to others less fortunate in your community. A great family-friendly tradition to start this year is to volunteer at a local soup kitchen. Many churches and organizations have soup kitchens, and some have even been using food trucks to meet the needs of the homeless and less fortunate.
Care Packages to our Troops
Did you know there are still thousands of men and women in the armed services deployed throughout the world? This means there are plenty of opportunities to show your support for our troops. One of the best ways to show your support for the troops is by sending a care package to a soldier overseas. Sending a soldier a small gift from home can be an uplifting and wonderful surprise to a deployed service member.
Donate to Toys for Tots
Since 1947 the Marine Corps Reserve has been collecting gifts for children in need. To date the Toys for Tots program has distributed over 566 million toys to over 258 million children around the world. Now that is the spirit of Christmas! Look for donation boxes at many of your larger big box stores and local retailers. A small toy can create a big smile.
Pay it forward
Spread holiday cheer one latte at a time. Paying it forward is a fun and easy way to spread a little holiday cheer. When you’re in line at the drive-thru of your favorite restaurant take a moment to pay for the order of the person behind you in line. Nothing puts a smile on someone’s face like pulling up and hearing that your bill is paid.
The holidays put a particular strain on local food banks. This is a great time of year to make either an in-kind donation or a monetary donation to your local food bank. Your donation can make a huge difference to a family in need. We all think of Christmas and naturally think of gifts, but for many having a hot meal would be gift enough.
It doesn’t matter where you live, there is always someone who could use a helping hand. Whether it is the widow down the street or maybe a family has a loved one serving over-seas in the military, everyone could use a helping hand from time to time. Don’t worry about a grand gesture, just consider mowing the lawn, shoveling the sidewalk, or bringing in their garbage can. Small gestures can make a big impact in a persons day.
Participate in an Angel Tree
Many places participate in a version of the angel tree program. Often nursing homes, prisons, schools, and churches all have an angel tree. Many of these organizations have virtual angel trees so you can shop or support your favorite charity from the comfort of home. No matter, who or what organization you choose to support, your gift will make a big difference for someone.
Take advantage of small donations while shopping
Did you know that many online merchants allow you to designate small portions of your sale to charities of your choice? Amazon, Alibaba, and ebay all have these types of programs in place. Generally, it works by rounding up your purchase to the next whole dollar. It’s easy to make a big difference with small change.
Do you have a special way that you share the holiday spirit in your community? If you do, we’d love to hear about it. Remember to like and follow us on all your favorite social media. We have lots of great things happening in 2020. Of course, you can start planning your 2020 beach vacation today. Just give us a call today at 800-727-9222 or click the button below to get started.
