Surprise Saturday Post - Charity

With the holidays fast approaching, I've been thinking a lot about how we're going to be doing things. The boys and I have some holiday traditions that we do every year, but this year, I'm going to start another one. Every year, we all get things for Christmas, even if it's just a little something because money is tight. I was reading earlier that 1 in 50 children (in the USA) this year are homeless. How scary is that? With unemployment so high and parents just unable to pay the mortgage anymore, more and more families are turning to shelters. Where we live, there isn't a homeless shelter, but there are plenty of organizations like Salvation Army and Goodwill. So, let me tell you about our new tradition and then I'll share with you some ideas on how you can be a Christmas Angel to a needy child or family.

This year, I'm going to be taking a decorated cardboard box with us to the family Christmas party. It's going to be our donation box. I'm going to ask that every family member donate 1-2 items to the box. For the kids, this will most likely be old toys, games or books. For the adults, it could be just about anything. These items will then be donated to a local charity. I want my children to learn that even when times are tough, they are often tougher for someone else and we should always be willing to lend a hand where we can.

Now, for those of you who do live near a shelter, I'm going to encourage you to consider one of these ideas:

1. Donate comfort items, such as stuffed toys or soft blankets. These could turn into items that the children could keep for themselves.

2. Go in together with another family and host a pizza party/game night at a local shelter. This could be just for the kids or for everyone staying there.

3. Buy new school supplies and donate them to be handed out at the shelter. Can you imagine what it must be like to not be able to buy your child the new backpack that they need for school?

I know that it might seem as if I'm throwing these ideas out early, but let's face it, people need year long, not just at the holidays. Plus, if you start setting aside a little money or time now to help make someone's life better, it won't be nearly as tough when Christmas does roll around!