The holiday season is here! The only people I know who aren’t super excited are, c’mon, let’s face it… liars. How can you not love the crisp, cool air, drinking hot chocolate, cozying up in a big sweater and stuffing your face with desserts like you’re preparing for hibernation? The music, the scent of Christmas trees, and the lights across the city all make for quite the magical time of year. These holly jolly feelings I get are a huge part of why I (and oh, I don’t know… the entire rest of the world) get so enthusiastic about this time of year. This, however, is not what the holidays are about.
It’s easy to, in the midst of wanting to get bae the perfect gift, forget about those who need our help the most. As the gift-purchasing frenzy sets in, the once-magical illusion of the holiday fades. Parking lots turn into battlefields, coupons and discounts become the Holy Grail, and the answer to the question “can I put this on hold?,” determines the distance between your hands and that guy’s throat.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t get your loved ones something special, and I’m not saying you’re a bad person if you’ve already made a wish list… but if society made a collective decision to make (at least) these two months out of our year focus on giving to those who are struggling instead of to ourselves… we might be able to help make the world just a little bit better. Nothing feels better than helping the world! It's a win-win. Here are five ways to give back this season (or literally whenever you want).
- Volunteer at a homeless shelter. This seems like the most obvious suggestion and it probably is. Volunteers generally multiply during the holidays, but no one complains about an extra pair of willing hands. Who knows, you may get hooked and find yourself there throughout the year! Find homeless shelters in your area here.
- Visit a children’s hospital. It hurts my heart so much to think about all the children who spend their holidays in the confines of a hospital room. Luckily, kids' spirits are usually pretty easy to lift. You’ll need to call your hospital of choice to find out what’s OK, but passing out small gifts to children, reading stories with them, or even just spending some time with them may be enough to spread some serious cheer.
- Donate to a charity. There are so many non-profit organizations that it actually may be less likely to not know about one to donate to. But if you can’t pick one or don’t know of one, then feel free to visit this one. It focuses on ending hunger throughout America.
- Send a card or package to a soldier.Any Soldier. This organization allows civilians to send support to our troops. Whether it’s a card or an entire care-package, you can make an impact.
- Adopt a family. Adopt-a-family organizations allow you to take a specific family, receive their wish list, and help them have a memorable holiday or maybe even get a new start. Many families ask for items we so often take for granted like clothes, shoes, and food. Most areas have a similar service, but I’ve included a link to my local area’s here.
Seeing the faces of happy children, or a relieved family, or a grateful service member will probably melt your insides (that’s a good thing obviously), and I can personally promise that you won’t regret spending your holiday this way. Get your loved ones to join in and help others together.
It is important to remember that these problems exist year-round. While paying it forward is, no doubt, the most heart-warming way to spend your holidays, we haven’t created a long-term solution. Hopefully, the spirit of giving will be infectious and addicting. Maybe we can make a new years resolution to bring our good intentions with us into 2016.
