Many of us are fortunate enough to have the means to celebrate the season, and not be overly concerned about putting a Christmas meal on the table. We might struggle with the financial ramifications of getting gifts for everyone, but the bottom line is that we can serve a wonderful holiday meal to our family and not worry too much about the cost of doing so. However, there are many families that cannot enjoy this luxury. So as we share this holiday season with our family, friends and colleagues, it would be a wonderful thing if we could contribute to those who are less privileged than we are. I have compiled a list of engaging ways of sharing the season with our own friends, while we serve those around us.
Donation Parties
Host a party where each guest gains access to the party by bringing a donation to the charity of your choice.
- For example, if you wish to donate to a children's charity, you could host a "Babes in Toyland" themed party. While the party could be fashioned after a kid's vision of a winter wonderland, with appropriate F&B and decorations, each guest would be asked to bring a wrapped toy for a specific age group.
- If you wish to donate to a food pantry, you could host a Chef's Table Dinner Party or a Meal Assembly Party, and ask each guest to donate a bag of non-perishable groceries.
- If you don't envision an easy match between your desired party and your chosen charity, you could always host a "Fill the Stocking" party for your charity. In this case, you would ask your guests to deposit their cash or check donation into a specially marked Christmas stocking, designated for the charity.
Activity Parties
If you don't have treasures to offer to charity, but you have time or talent, you could sponsor an activity-based event that would benefit your charity.
- Host a Caroling Party to a local hospital, hospice, or retirement community
- Host a Caroling Party around your neighborhood, and ask each home that you visit for a small cash donation in exchange for your musical interludes
- Host a Baking Party with an accompanying Bake Sale that would benefit your charity
- Organize of group of your friends to read holiday stories to the children at a shelter, school or hospital.
- Host an Afternoon Tea where you write holiday cards to our overseas military personnel
- Host an ongoing Knitting Circle, and donate your projects to a homeless shelter or women's shelter
We've each been blessed with time, talent or treasures that we can share with those who are less fortunate than us. What better time of year to refocus our priorities, while instilling a sense of gracious service to those we love, than during the upcoming month?
© Text by Janice Benoit. [November, 2006]. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use will constitute an infringement of copyright.
