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Love and giving are special aspects of the holidays for me. I love the way I feel in the month leading up to Christmas. The minute I take a Christmas-themed antique needlepoint that was a present from a departed relative out of the closet and hang it the holiday spirit pervades my spirits. Next I decorate the Christmas tree and think about how much love came in the ornaments I received as gifts. Once the tree is up I find it hard to concentrate on anything other than holiday activities.

I try to do one act of charity per week (or day if I'm really motivated) as the holidays approach. To start, I purchase my holiday cards by either Unicef (you can find them at Pier 1 stores or on the Internet), or from Arborday.com (they have cards that announce that a tree was planted to honor the recipient of the card). Unicef helps kids and Arbor Day helps the environment so both efforts make me feel great. I also like to check out the Salvation Army website. They offer lots of ways to help others at the holidays.

I always do a clean out of the home and donate tons of stuff to the Salvation Army or Habitat for Humanity during November or December. I try to find cute stuff that could be used for holiday presents at garage sales during the year; then I donate it all to charity in time for holiday shoppers to buy it.

Sometimes I also donate food baskets to recipients of county social services.
I once dropped off a basket at a welfare hotel for a mom with several small children. When I saw the tiny porcelain holiday tree in the hotel room my heart jumped. I remembered all my childhood memories of selecting a pine holiday tree and how festive it always made the house. I thanked God that I took the time to bring a little holiday cheer to someone in dire circumstances.

Sometimes giving to others means so much more to me than any present I will receive.
The holidays are about celebrating love and also giving love. Spread the joy, it will make your life richer!

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