I was thinking of what makes Christmas really special for us. And it is when we serve, when we feel like we have made a difference in someone's life. Here are some ideas of things we have done or our friends have done to serve. I share them thinking that you might find joy and fun and blessings in doing the same with your families.
We love to do 12 days of Christmas for people. We start on day one and give them 1 thing up until 12 days on Christmas eve when we are giving them 12 things....which is usually a CD with 12 tracks or 12 brownies or napkin rings or something. But anyway, it is super fun for the kids to leave it on the doorstep and run.
We love to do the traditional make and deliver cookies. As much work as it is, the kids are the most excited about this activity. And we include all kinds of people in our delivery pool.
We have gone to elderly care homes and delivered cards and ornaments and talked with the residents. This is super fun too because they get really excited to have kids visit. Families have joined together and did a sort of talent show for them as well. I want to do this some day.
(I will stop talking in the first person:))
You could make and mail cards and packages to the soldiers.
You could assemble hygiene kits, education kits, newborn kits, etc. in your home with your kids and ship them to Salt Lake. http://classic.lds.org/humanitarianservices/0,19749,6208,00.html
You could quietly choose a family or a couple people or a couple families to serve during the holidays and anonymously mail them gift cards or drop off a box of fun Christmas cheer at their house.
You can organize a caroling group and visit the houses of friends and invite them to join you. Super fun!!
You could serve lunch at a soup kitchen. Union Gospel Mission in Fort Worth is a wonderful wonderful organization. http://www.uniongospelmissiontc.org
You could help stock a soup kitchen. You can help any and all battered women's organizations in your area. Their shelters are always in need of supplies and love and cheer.
You could invite your friends' children over for a kids party right in the middle of the busy holiday season. Their parents will be grateful. And the kids will have super fun.
You can serve at any and all Ronald McDonald houses over Christmas and change lives. My dear friend was blessed by such service and it meant so very much. What a hard time to have a sick hospitalized child.
Etc Etc Etc. Look around. There will be specific ways you can serve in your area every day. I was just telling a dear friend today. I would much rather be super busy serving than be super busy doing anything else. It isn't as draining. Instead it kind of fills you up.
Anyway, we will be implementing many of these throughout the holidays but it becomes tricky reporting on your service activities so I just thought I would throw out the big list to choose from over the next couple weeks.
If you have any other ideas or experiences to share, I am looking for more. Please let me know.
2 comments:
I'd love to hear some of your ideas for the 12 days of Christmas. We usually end up with a theme of children's books, but I'd love to get some fresh ideas.
I LOVE the children's books ideas. I never thought of that. Tell me what you do for that.
It ends up being different every year depending on what I find and like as I shop around. We usually have chocolates, ornaments, clementines, music CD, hand towels, santa hats (for the number of people you want to give them to--all kids or everyone), books, poinsettias, centerpiece (with three candles or some specific number in it), nativity set,stuffed stockings, Christmas hand soaps, towels, etc etc etc. I usually find fun things as I shop that change it up. Send me your books idea. Love it already!
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