25 Days of Giving

Have you ever wondered how to get you littles to stop with the “give me’s” at Christmas?  Littles naturally have a giving heart and if it is nurtured their wanting to give will outweigh their need to receive. When My children were little I wanted them to enjoy receiving things, but I also wanted them to realize that giving was so much more special. We did some of the following activities as a family, but there was so much more we could have done. Continue on to see 25 ideas to help your littles learn how much fun and how exciting it can be to give rather than receive. Build a loving and giving hear in your littles.

Teaching Kindness and a Love of Giving

1. Collecting Change: Check your packets, you junk drawer, even between the couch cushions. Find all the loose change you can. Collect it and count how much money you have found (great math lesson) then take it to a Salvation Army bell ringer and place it in the pot. Talk to the bell ringer and ask them to tell your littles how they have just helped someone who has so little. Discuss with them how they can help others even if they do not know them and how special it is to be able to do this.
2. Clean Out Toys: Before Santa could come to our house every year, the kids had to go through their toys. The had to sort them into  several piles: broken for the trash, give away I don’t use it anymore, and keep because I still use it. We then threw out the broken missing pieces toys. The toys they still use we put away neatly. Finally the toys they do not use anymore would get bagged and we would take them as a family to a local women’s and family shelter for the children to play with while they were at the shelter. As we cleaned things out we talked about how lucky they were and how they could use their things to help other children who were not as lucky as they were. It was amazing to see how willing they became to give their toys away to those less fortunate.
3. Bake Cookies: While baking your annual Christmas or holiday cookies, bake some extra to share. After you have finished baking the cookies choose a place to take them to share. Would your littles want to take them to the police station or fire station to say thank you for how they take care of the neighborhood. Would you rather take them to a senior citizen home to share with them and make them feel loved and thought of during the holiday season.
4. Toys for Tots: Give each child $5 – $10, then take them to the store with the instructions to purchase a gift for another child who will not get toys if we do not help. They may use the money to buy 1 or more toys for another child. After they have selected the toy they want to get, have them take it to the register and use the money to purchase it. Once you return to the car discuss why they chose that toy for another child. Then drive directly to a Toys for Tots drop off location and have them place their toy into the donation box. Thank them for being so caring and thoughtful with the gift they chose. Leave it at that, let there thoughts sink in. They will feel so good about themselves for being so caring.
5. Angel Tree: Many schools and malls put up an angel tree. Go with your child to an angel tree and choose 1 child to adopt for Christmas from the tree. As a family, read the items the child wants and needs. Make a plan for what items your family will buy for the child for Christmas. As a family purchase, wrap and deliver the angel tree gifts to the location the gifts are to go.
6. Cards: There are many people who will spend the Christmas holiday in the hospital. This can be a very difficult time for them. Have your children make Christmas or holiday cards wishing others a happy holiday season and a speedy recovery. As a family go to the hospital and ask for the volunteers to pass out the cards to the patients at the hospital. You can have your littles make a new card each day until say December 23 and then deliver all the cards to the hospital on that day. What a great way for your littles to raise the spirits of those who are ill.
7. Family Gifts: Take some time to help your children find a craft they can make for each member of the family. Give them the materials and time to make the gifts, wrap them and put them under the tree. If they are not big craft children you can give them a budget and take them to the dollar store or 5 Below to pick out one special gift for each member of the family. allow them to wrap it and put it under the tree for Christmas morning. Their eyes will light up when you open the gift and know it was special and just for you.
8. Neighbors: With all of those baked cookies make small plates of cookies, even add a few pieces of holiday candy. Make a card to go with each plate and deliver the plates of goodies and cards to the neighbors. Make sure to deliver them with your littles and watch as they get excited to share with people they know.
9. Clean Out Books: If your house is anything like mine there are books, books and more books. This is a great time of year to go through all those books, which ones do you read, which books are you tired of, which books are books you want to share with others. Once you have a nice stack of books, there are several places they could go: the hospital for those admitted to read and enjoy, a daycare or school to help build their classroom libraries, or a shelter for those who have fallen on their luck to read and escape from their difficult time.
10. Volunteer: Do your littles need a new way to practice their reading. Find a senior citizen home that has seniors that would be willing to listen to your little practice their reading. pick a book or two per child to take with you. Have your little sit with a senior and read their books and talk about their books. Give the gift of time to the people at the home. They will love listening to your littles read and they are always so positive and encouraging your children will leave beaming and so proud of themselves. This activity could turn into a weekly trip  your littles will love it so much.
11. Clean out Clothes: All those clothes your littles cannot wear anymore. What to do with them? How can I make the chore of cleaning them out meaningful? Have your child help you go through their clothes. Then discuss places you can donate the clothes that will be helpful to others. If they are school aged you can donate to the school nurse. School nurses always need extra clothing for accidents that happen at school. You can donate them to a women’s and family shelter for the children that arrive there with very few clothes. Have your littles help make the decision so they can feel proud of helping those who need it.
12. Food Drive: Have your littles help gather boxed or canned food from your pantry, or you can take a special shopping trip for this activity. Then as a family decide if you are going to take the nonperishable food to a local shelter, a church food pantry, or the local food bank. Not only do these places need extra food at this time of year, but your littles will learn how to help others in a time of need.
13. Care Packages: So many people need just the basic necessities of life. This is a time to help and care about others. Take your littles to a local drug store, Target, or Dollar Store and pick up toiletries and a little snack. Go home and decorate shoe boxes or bags and make a Christmas card. Package up the toiletries and snacks among the decorated boxes, and add a Christmas card. Take these simple care packages to a local shelter or church to be distributed to those in need. Not only will it light up the face of someone in need, but it will show your littles a simple way to help those in need in a big way.
14. Treats and Food: We can’t forget to give to our four legged friends as well. Pick out some treats and food for your favorite four legged animals. Also go through your linen closet and take out old towels and blankets. Gather it all and have your littles go with you to your local animal shelter and donate the treats, food, towels and blankets to the pets there that are wanting a home. They will get to enjoy seeing the animals and see how they can help these animals in need.
15. Make a Phone Call: Have your littles make phone calls to their grandparents, aunts, or uncles just to say they love them. Help your little show how much they care about their extended family members. If they live close by go over to their house for a visit to receive a hug. Help them learn to show their love whether they are near or far.
16. Meal Time: As a family make a meal together. Talk about what you are doing and how you feel working together. Make sure to tell each other how important it is to work with each other to create this meal. Your littles will feel so proud of themselves and will want to help with other things as well.
17. Thank You Notes: Write thank you notes to the police or firefighters to show them how thankful you are that they are protecting your community. Deliver them to the station in person and have your littles pass them out. The police officers and firefighters will be so happy they were thought of when they have to be away from their family and your littles will beam with pride as they deliver their best work.
18. Christmas or Holiday Cards: Make a bunch of Christmas or holiday cards with your littles. About 1 week before Christmas pile everyone in the car and deliver the cards to a senior citizen home. So many of the residents of these homes are lonely. You showing up and bringing them cards will make them smile. It is wonderful when you can watch someone so lonely feel the joy of time and receiving a special homemade card.
19. Candy Cane Madness: Buy a package or 2 of small candy canes. Go around with your little and pass out candy canes to their neighborhood friends. If you see the mailman, or UPS/FedEx driver give them a candy cane as well. Watch your child beam as they give their friends something so little, but it means so much to them.
20. Board Games: Gather up the board games your littles like to play and know how to play. Take them to the senior citizen home and play games with the residents. Just spending a little time with them playing a game will make them feel so special. Your littles will enjoy the time with them as well.
21. Hugs All Around: Get in the practice of giving someone special a hug. Don’t stop there, make sure to tell them why they are special when you give them a hug.
22. Giving to Jesus: Make a Christmas stocking special for Jesus. During the weeks/days leading up to Christmas make cards, pictures, letters for Jesus. Collect your change or even make a special extra Tithing for Jesus. At Christmas eve or Christmas day service take your stocking to church and deliver it to the Pastor or put it in the tithing basket. Make sure to let Jesus know how special he is to your family.
23. Christmas Caroling: Plan a to take your littles to a hospital or senior citizen home a sing Christmas Carols. This will brighten the days of those who are alone, ill or caring for someone who is ill.
24. Family Time: Plan a time to just be together as a family. Do something everyone will enjoy. Watch a special holiday movie, don’t forget the popcorn. Pile in the car with hot chocolate and drive around looking at the beautiful holiday lights. Go for a winter walk and enjoy how the season has changed. Enjoy giving to each other of time and being together.
25. Santa and the Reindeer: You can’t forget Santa and his reindeer. On Christmas Eve make sure to set out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots and oats for the reindeer. They are very tired after delivering gifts to so many children around the world.

Enjoy family traditions of the holiday season with 15 Holiday Traditions to Start this Christmas.

Books

There are books to share on all subjects. Here are a few of my favorites on Giving:

The Bernstain Bears and the Joy of Giving  by Joy Berenstain and Mike Berenstain

Have You Filled a Bucket Today?  by Carol McCloud and David Messing

How the Grinch Stole Christmas  by Dr. Seuss

Wish to Be a Christmas Tree  by: Colleen Monroe

The Spirit of Christmas  by Nancy Tillman

The Legend of St. Nicholas: A Story of Christmas Giving  by David Mackall

Bear Stays Up for Christmas  by Karma Wilson

Secret Santas and the Twelve Days of Christmas Giving  by Courtney Petruzzelli 

Howard B. Wigglebottom and the Power of Giving  by Howard Binkow

The Magic of Friendship Snow  by Andi Cann