Doing good around the holidays has become very important to me over the last few years, especially after having had kids. When you’re little, the holidays can seem to be all about Santa and the presents you get. A lot of us also recognize it can be a very difficult time of year for people, whether financially or emotionally. A few years ago, my sister, cousins and I started a tradition of doing a service project with our kids. We get together for a little Christmas party and we each bring things to donate to a women’s shelter – anything from toiletries to tampons to snacks. We put a table together with all the items and line the kids up assembly style. We talk about why it’s important. The older kids understand more, of course, but we hope to keep the tradition alive so our kids can grow understanding the importance of helping others when we can year-round, and especially during the holidays. Another one of my favorite projects is the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree where you can provide gifts (needs and wishes) for one specific child. We’ve also done that the last few years and it’s great. You can choose a child to shop for and then drop off gifts at one of their drop-off locations. NorthPark Center is my closest location.
With all that said, hosting a service project for kids still needs to be entertaining, especially for the younger kids. Their ages range from 1-17! This year, I’m sending this Paperless Post invite designed by Rifle Paper Co. We’ll have hot cocoa, pizza and cookies and brownies. We have one of the older cousins read a Christmas story to the younger kids.
What are some of your family traditions during the holidays?
