Whatever holiday you celebrate, it’s easy to see that giving is in the air. For some, that means trips to the shops to find the perfect gifts. But for others, it’s also a great opportunity to find fun and exciting ways to give to your community too. Starting a holiday charity tradition can mean many different things. Whether you’re donating time, financial support or goods and services, you can make it all unique to you. We’ve made a few suggestions below to help you get started with crafting your perfect holiday tradition of giving.
Delegate Charitable Donations
If you have children in your family, it can be fun to get them involved in the decision-making! Set aside money for each one and let them decide where it goes. You can pull together your own options, use a list of the common charities kids enjoy giving to, or let them do their own research. Try to let them be as involved in the process as possible. For the youngest, it might be a simple process. Older kids can really go through the full motions of finding a charity and making the donation themselves. This autonomy is great practice for later in life, too.
Face To Face Volunteering
There’s a reason soup kitchens are a holiday trope in movies. Volunteering together with your family to provide food for the needy is a great hands on project. You can choose something more behind-the-scenes in the kitchen or at the food bank if you’d like. Older kids can get a more in-depth understanding of people in different circumstances, though. Getting to see these people face to face is an important part of building empathy.
Donate Belongings
It’s far too easy to let unused toys and clothes sit in the back of closets. Encourage children to really evaluate their belongings to figure out what they need and what they don’t. It might be tough with younger kids to get them to let go of their possessions, but it’s a great habit to build early on. Plus, it’ll help keep a tidier house in the long run if no one in the family hoards their stuff!
However you choose to celebrate this season, remember that there are plenty of ways to give back without sacrificing the parts of the holidays you love.
