It's About Giving

With all the hubbub and joy surrounding Mae's Heritage Trip, it is easy for me to forget what season we are in. Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza or anything else, this is the season of light. We see lights adorning the trees, twinkling on our hearths and brightening our spirits as the days grow shorter and colder. This season of light also brings with it a season of giving. Now is the time, more so than any other time of year, it seems, when people look outside of themselves and their nucleus of family and friends, and extend their hand to others. There is a rise in volunteer numbers at the soup kitchen and people make donations to their favorite charities. The fact that this provides a tax break is helpful.

 In this holiday season of giving, Compassion has asked its bloggers to talk about what giving is - what are the tastes, sounds, feelings, colors and associations we have with giving? 

I know that during the Happy Day Project I saw a lot of joy from my children as they felt they were truly helping someone else in need. Ted donated his (projected) Hanukkah money to Peter, so he will have a very merry Christmas this year! My children love to give, and it is a quality I love to nurture more than anything else. I think our family associates giving with the joy and hope of truly making a difference.

If we didn't sponsor a child, I can see my family perusing the pages of Compassion's Christmas Catalog to give gifts that are truly meaningful to those that need it the most. I know I will "gift" some family members with a greeting card announcing what gift I chose to donate in their honor. It's such a lovely way to help!

This is also the time of year to create meaningful gifts for our teacher and mentors. The smells, colors  and tastes of giving, for me, always involve baked goods! With advice from one of my favorite bloggers at LifeRearranged, my children's teachers will be receiving home-baked goodies, stress-free!

As we open our hearts to this season of giving, ask yourself: What was a gift you have that was received with joy and deep appreciation? What effect did that have on you?

I'd love to hear your responses and I will formulate mine and share here tomorrow!

Happy December! Happy Holiday Season! Let's make it a meaningful one!