No matter how excited I get about the holidays, one truth remains on my mind, there is no better gift than the gift of giving. This year Pinky is going to experience her very first Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year! Even though she is still so young, and not quite at the point where she can understand certain concepts, I want to begin passing on our family values and starting new traditions.
The holidays are a time for giving. Not only should we give gifts to our loved ones, we should also give to others who are less fortunate. Keep in mind, you don’t always have to give out money, our time can be much more appreciated and valuable.
The holidays are also a time for reflecting. Don’t you notice that as this time approaches we tend to look back on the year and think about the things we did or did not accomplish? It would be nice to end the year volunteering or giving money to the charity you support and believe in. Volunteer San Diego is a great place to start searching for organizations that could use your help during the holidays and throughout the year.
Giving was meant to be fun, hence all those year end charity events. What is better than partying during the holidays? Partying for a cause, and San Diego Magazine has a calendar of ongoing Charitable Events you and your gang can attend.
Remember you can always ask around to see what others are doing to help make a difference. We can’t change the world on our own, but when we come together and change the world we live in, it makes a big difference.
In the latest issue of San Diego Family, Merilee Boyack, author of “52 Weeks of Family Service,” is an attorney and mother of four boys offers her advice on getting the family involved in serving together.
- Time. Decide how much time you and your family can invest and commit to Family Service.
- Talent. Find our what your families talents are so they will enjoy offering their help.
- Temperament. Prepare your children for the things they will see and experience. As children they might not understand why or how you’re helping another family in need.
For the rest of the article, pick up your copy of the November 2010 San Diego Family issue at your nearest family friendly establishment…they’re FREE!
This year, you can probably guess that I am thankful for our Pinky! She’s been so healthy these first 10 months of life! She is so full of life and she inspires me to make a difference in the world today, because what I do effects her future as well.
I personally like to volunteer my time working events. However, the organization I would like to contribute to this year is the San Diego Alzheimer’s Association. Our first step was participating in this year’s Memory Walk. Unfortunately, I did not reach my goal of $200, but I will try again next year. It’s a great organization, and the cause directly effects my family being that my husband’s grandma and my cousin’s grandma both suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease.
Among other things, I want Pinky to know how important it is to give, to be grateful for what she has, for the people she loves and who love her, and to not take any of it for granted. In the spirit of the holidays and for all her life, I want her to understand that it is far better to give than to receive; and that God loves a cheerful giver!
This has been a tough year and I realize that many of us may not be so fortunate to give, that some of us are on the receiving end, and that’s okay. I had to force myself to be vulnerable and accept help from others, not an easy thing for most of us to do. However, I am forever grateful for our family members who have help helped us during this first year as Pinky’s parents.
For those of us who are fortunate to give, we must be smart about giving. As much as we would love to give to everyone, the fact is simply, we can’t, because we have to care for ourselves as well as our own families. For tips on how to give smart, read 5 Suggestions for Smart Giving this Holiday Season.
Happy Holidays and remember that the best gift is the gift of being able to give. Happy Giving!