The Holiday season is seen as a time of year that is wonderful, filled with family, love, food, & presents. This may not be the case for everyone, though. Sometimes the Holiday season is the worst time of year for some people. People who can’t afford a proper holiday, people that have to search for their next meal constantly, people who have just lost a family member, there are plenty of reasons that this time of year can be stressful & just not great for many people. If you are in the place to be able to give back financially, there are some things you can spend money on to make someones life just a little bit brighter, if you are tight on money, your time can be just as valuable. Here are some ways that you can help out people struggling & give back to the world:

1. Adopt a child/family in a third-world country to help.

The Holidays are a world wide thing, some children & families have never experienced the joy of the season due to their living situation. You can give back in ways such as donating a cow/useful animal to a family in need here. You can ”adopt” a child to donate gifts (of your choosing) to here. A simple google search can help you find the right choice for you & your donation goals. Every little thing helps these families gain their footing, even a little bit. You are giving the gift of life, food, & a little bit of comfort.

2. Read to children at an orphanage or shelter.

Children are the first things that pops into my head when I think about people opening presents. They are so young, so impressionable, so full of life. Some children in your local area might not have blood-related families to celebrate with this season. They probably don’t get to experience the holiday like a ”normal” child. You can spend no money, just a little bit of your time to bring your favorite holiday tales to read to them. They will be so happy that a stranger cares about them, is willing to spend time with them, & you can spread a little bit of cheer. Contact your local libraries, orphanages, & shelters to set up times & make sure you are allowed to do this.

3. Bring crafts, food, or just your company to the nursing home.

It is a sad reality that once you get older, it is harder to do things on your own. Some families opt to put their love ones in nursing homes, which is great, but they might not be visiting them as often as they would like to, life gets in the way. Some elderly people in nursing homes may not have any family left, or haven’t been visited in a long time. You can bring arts & crafts in to stimulate them & get them to engage in some sort of activity. You can ask your local dance studio to go perform for them, or you can just bring your company & talk to as many people as you can. This shows them that they are still loved, & will brighten their day for sure. Aging doesn’t mean you don’t need love anymore. There are wonderful nurses & staff that work with these people everyday, but it is hard to take individual time for each patient. Give back to the people that raised your community. Just contact your home of choice before going in, to make sure that everything is ok, & learn about any restrictions some patients may have.

4. Send a gift package to a soldier.

There are so many young women & men putting their lives on the line for our country try everyday. They are heroes. Some of them though, won’t be able to make it home for the holidays. You can use websites such as this one  or go to your local veteran/army support groups to send care packages to those who cannot come home. They deserve some sort of comfort from home, you can help.

5. Work at your local soup kitchen.

This one is pretty self explanatory, but you can donate your time to help feel those who have no food. In some places it’s very cold this time of year,  but regardless of climate, no one deserves to go hungry. This takes a couple hours out of your night to go help people stay full. You could also donate to your local food pantry to help those who may need just a few things to make ends meet for a Christmas dinner. No one deserves to go hungry. This also a good way to give back if you’re weary about donating money or giving money straight to someone on the street because you don’t fully know where the money is going to. This is a way to  see first hand that your help is needed & appreciated.

6. Drop off old or new toys to your local toys-for-tots drop off location.

Toys for tots is an amazing organization that gives children donated toys from the community so that they have something to open on christmas. Toys are such an important part of a childs’ life, & opening presents on Christmas day is such a lovely memory for many. Check your local drop off for certain toys they may be searching for, age groups, gender..etc.

There are so many ways to give back this Holiday season & make someones days brighter. You can look up more ways on google or facebook through local businesses, churches, schools..etc. Giving back is one of the best things we can do as humans. Helping people in need will never be regretted. Thank you for your time, I hope you find it in your heart to give back. Sending mu love & wishing you all Happy Holidays.