Last year during the holiday season, I found myself searching for ideas of gifts to give some people. I wasn't finding things that just begged to be wrapped up with their name on it or that I really wanted to give to them. I don't even remember what I ended up giving to them because I was giving out of obligation and not because I genuinely had found something I thought they would enjoy or would better their lives. It left me feeling a little drained and questioning what the spirit of giving at Christmastime is really all about. There was also a video floating around about the amount of money spent each year on presents and how much clean water it could buy for people in desperate need of it. Here we are blowing money on gifts we don't need, spending countless hours shopping for and wrapping gifts for each other when we don't really need more stuff and there are people who don't have shoes for their feet, a roof over their head or clean water to drink. Something is wrong here. I told Dustin after Christmas last year that I really wanted to donate to charity this year instead of giving gifts. He wasn't thrilled by the idea, to be honest, and so I didn't push it. Then I got this wonderful phone call from my sister-in-law Denae. She had the exact same idea and had already run it by her sister and mom and everyone was onboard for the most part!
I can't even tell you how excited I am for Christmas to come this year and have fewer gifts to open! For every present I am NOT opening, someone else is getting something that they desperately needed! How amazing is that! That is the true spirit of giving. Gifting to those who need it feels so much better than gifting to those who do not just because you are "supposed to". Not that I don't enjoy buying for people I love, but this is the gift that keeps giving. I think that Lawson and Naomi will receive some really great lessons from observing this form of gifting and we will all walk away with less clutter in our houses and hearts. Just another example of "less is more".
Thursday, September 17, 2009
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Way to go! Seriously, giving to charities in any form is the most rewarding thing on earth. Welcome to the charity train!
ReplyDeleteso, here's what we're doing, because, oddly enough, I felt the same way last year around christmas time. We're saving all our spare change for the entire year, and putting it in a jar. At christmas, we will give it to someone. We don't know who yet, but we're waiting to find someone who could use a few extra bucks. with as many quarters as I have in there, it could end up to be quite a bit of money.
ReplyDeleteOh that ^ is a good idea! WTG with your ideas. I think that would be great for us do to since my kids already have everything.
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