No matter what your holiday tradition might be, there is one idea that all beliefs can embrace. Not only can we embrace it now, but we can embrace it all year.
Donate. Yes, donate to a food pantry, a homeless shelter, an angel tree, or a clothing drive. But be careful. Too many times I’ve seen people pull up in their Lexus or similar vehicle and drop off a sack of canned items they would never consider buying for themselves. Faded clothes, some with holes or frayed hems, scratched cookware, broken picture frames…it’s as though we are saying the less fortunate should be grateful for anything given to them, and to some extent I think they are. But what would be wrong with donating new clothes instead of used ones? They do’t have to be designer clothes, but brand new jeans and shirts from Old Navy are likely to be more appreciated than the designer jeans you no longer want because of the bleached out spot when you accidentally spilled some on the pair.
I know a man who requests that his family donate to a favorite charity instead of buying him Christmas presents. I think they might get him something anyway, but it’s usually something not too expensive, and the bulk of their present to him is the donation requested.
I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I’ve thought about the students I worked with and how sad the holidays were for too many of them. When I was principal at a middle school, a new girl in our school wore very old polo shirts (in compliance with the district’s dress code) and ill-fitting jeans every day. I called her to my office one day and told her an anonymous donor wanted me to select a deserving student to receive a special Christmas gift so I was going to submit her name and asked her what her clothing sizes were.
About a week before Christmas, she opened the bags in my office, and there was no mistaking her appreciation for the three new pairs of jeans, the three new polo shirts, the new jacket, and some other items. She shared her thanks, but I knew she appreciated them because after that, I never saw her wear any of the older clothes again. Every time I saw her, she was wearing the Old Navy jeans and J.C. Penney polo shirts.
Some of you may be like us and already donate monthly to places like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or another charity, but during the holidays is a great time to give a little extra.
Here are some organizations near and dear to my heart:
- St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This leader in research and treatment of childhood cancers shares their knowledge with other medical organizations, and all treatments are free. Some people have the misconception it is funded by the Catholic Church, but this is incorrect. It is funded by donations of multiple organizations and individuals. You can make a one-time donation or decide to become a Partner in Hope, in which your credit card or checking account is charged each month. I think you can donate as little as $20 a month.
- Hadley. This free online resource for the visually impaired, legally blind, and totally blind is extra special to me. I have been learning Braille for well over a year. They send the free books to me, and I access the lessons by phone or online. They have tutorial videos in using smart phones, how to navigate with a cane, how to cook safely, how to garden, and countless other topics. They sponsor podcasts, book clubs, writing groups, and more. It’s all free, and it’s all funded by donations.
- Your local library. You may not be aware of it, but library budgets often do not include extra services like children’s summer reading programs, guest speakers, and other activities. All too often, their budget for books, videos, and other resources are not adequate to meet the needs of the community.
If you don’t like the idea of giving to an organization, you might want to contact a local school and be the anonymous donor/gift buyer to brighten the holiday time for a particular student.
There are too many opportunities to list in this blog, but if I’ve encouraged at least one of you to be more giving this year, I have accomplished my goal. And, to be honest, writing this has inspired me to more giving as well. So, happy holidays and happy giving, everyone!
Life As I know it 