I love creating new traditions during the Christmas holiday. With all that's happening around the world, it's nice to have memories that make you feel warm inside. Recently, Elizabeth Hasselbeck shared one she has been doing with her family that I would like to incorporate into mine. It can be as big as you want or as small; you get to choose.
Advent-ure in Giving is creating daily opportunities for you and your family to focus on others. She said she made an Advent board with 25 envelopes she and her family would open every morning. Each envelope included a scripture and an activity the family could do together or individually. The examples she mentioned were helping a military family or making homemade treats and dropping it off at the fire department.
Since there are only 24 chapters in the book of Luke, I plan to personalize our board by including a chapter for each day along with an activity up to Christmas day. Since my oldest is away, our board will have activities he can do independently.
To help you get started, here are some ideas:
-Have water and prepackaged treats by your front door for your mailman, FedEx, UPS driver, and the kind souls who pick up your trash every week.
-Have some extra prepackaged bags of candy or chocolate to share with the store cashier.
-Volunteer time to gift wrap presents for others.
-Write letters to soldiers who are on active duty and can't be home.
-Organize or be a part of a group that sings carols for a nursing home.
-Give out hand warmers to crossing guards near elementary schools.
-Purchase coffee or a meal for the person behind you in the drive-thru window.
-Write encouraging notes for your spouse or child and post them on the bathroom mirror or in their car.
-Siblings write fun jokes to one another.
-Make and share cookies.
-Do each other's chores.
-Offer to make dinner for a neighbor.
-Send goodies to your child's school's security and maintenance teams.
-Wash and clean your spouse's or child's car.
-Collect gently used coats and winter accessories and donate them to a local charity.
-Donate blankets and warm socks to homeless shelters.
-Offer to babysit for someone so they can go shopping or do something for themselves.
-Have gift cards on hand and distribute them when you notice someone having a tough day.
-Offer to pay for someone's gas at the gas station.
-Surprise your children, spouse, and friends with lunch at school, work, or home.
-Cut a neighbor's grass and rake their leaves when they're not home.
-Shovel a neighbor's sidewalk and driveway.
-Drop off hot cocoa or coffee to a parking attendant.
-Shop someone's Christmas list who is unable to do it themselves.
-Donate blood with your local Red Cross.
Don't feel pressured to do one every day if you can't. You could complete one activity every few days. This idea is not to create extra stress but the opposite. Spending time together as a family and finding ways to share is a gift that keeps on giving.
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