A ₵entsible Christmas is not only about saving money. It’s about making the season count. It’s about spending less, giving more, building memories and focusing on the ONE that we celebrate.
It is so easy to become so focused on ourselves each and every Christmas. Well, at least for me it is. I think of all the things I have “to do”, the cookies to bake, the presents to wrap, the “perfect” gift to buy, the traditions to implement, and the home to decorate.
Yet what about others? There are ways my own family has incorporated giving to others each year. However, I thought I’d throw out the question to you all (on Facebook). How do you give or serve at Christmas?
Here are some of the wonderful suggestions I received from friends and readers:
Baking Christmas cookies as a family to share with neighbors or to donate to the local food kitchen.
Caroling at a nursing home.
Choosing an angel from the tree that suggests gifts for low income children.
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Adopting a family to provide gifts and meals (call your local shelter to find suggestions).
Making homemade cards with your children to deliver to nursing homes for residents without family.
Operation Christmas Child.
Serving lunch at a shelter.
Giving food to the food bank.
Volunteering at the Caring Company. “The children sing and we record their favorite holiday songs on CD for the children to wrap and give to loved ones. We also entertain the kids while the parents get their food baskets.”
Surprising housebound invalids with a meal or gift.
My favorite suggestion came from a friend who implemented this tradition of giving that is absolutely wonderful.
“A decade ago we started this tradition with our entire extended family. Our extended family includes 4 generations of family living from Seattle to Boston and up and down the coast. A family crisis 10 years ago led us to stop gifting each other.
Instead every individual family contributes money equal to each family members age. Every year a different family member chooses the recipient of the money. Sometimes it is an organization. Other times it is given to another family or individual in need. This decision is always decided with love and care.
There are 28 members in our family now. We have found that this tradition of passing forward good has brought us closer together as decisions are made.”
I love this tradition for so many reasons. The number one being that it eliminates the stress. The stress of buying gifts for family members that may not really need one more gift. It keeps your heart and wallet focused on others. I also loved that is a way to bring your family closer.
If your family gift giving has gotten “out of control” or has become a stress to so many, I highly urge you to suggest this new tradition when you gather for Christmas this year. Even if no one is “stressed” it is a beautiful idea to suggest. You may be surprised regarding how quickly it is embraced.
Do you have a similar family tradition of giving or serving?
If you missed other posts in my ₵entsible Christmas series, feel free to check them out here:
- A ₵entsible Christmas
- A ₵entsible Christmas : Jesse Tree
- A ₵entsible Christmas : Making a Plan
- A ₵entsible Christmas :Simplifying Gifts
- A ₵entsible Christmas :5 Simple DIY Nativity Crafts
- A ₵entsible Christmas :6 Ways to Eliminate Stress
- A ₵entsible Christmas : A Plan Update
- A ₵entsible Christmas : Last Minute Gift- DIY Graham Cracker Toffee
- A ₵entsible Christmas : Last Minute Gift- 10 Edible Gifts
Do you want to celebrate a ₵entsible Christmas too? Subscribe to the Frugal Flamingo via email, Facebook or Twitter so we can celebrate together.
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