Although generosity should not be demonstrated only at Christmas time, it is still the perfect season to exhibit compassion and human kindness. It is a life lesson that all children should have the opportunity to learn.
The Countdown to Christmas Challenge for today is to begin 
to research ways for your family to give this season. Take a look around for something meaningful to you. Remember that if you don’t offer some help, who will? This will be a difficult Christmas for many people this year. You don’t have to give money to contribute. Look for ways you can donate your time and energy as well.
Check out List Mama Blog for more information and a List of Ways to Demonstrate a Tradition of Giving.
One of the symbols of the great state that I am proud to call home (Maine) is none other than L.L. Bean. Not only is their merchandise top quality, but they have a guarantee that is unequaled. And their customer service is excellent! This week’s giveaway is for a $50 gift card from L.L. Bean – perfect for holiday gift-buying. Once again, you have several ways to enter to win:
1) leave a comment on this post,
2) tell your friends & followers about 100 Days to Christmas on Facebook or Twitter(so easy to do when you use the Share This button at the bottom of this post) and leave a comment here linking to your profile,
3) subscribe to 100 Days to Christmas‘ RSS feed using a reader or by email and leave a comment here,
4) blog about 100 Days to Christmas then leave a comment here linking to your post.
5) contribute as a member of the 100 Days to Christmas community
One of each of these per day please. You have until October 25 at 6 pm EST to enter.
Thank you for the wonderful list of ways to give! It’s a great list. I hadn’t heard of the Box Project before. I’m passing the list on to our church missions coordinator, so she can get some ideas of ways to give to our community.
Thanks for the reminder, and the list!
I have been a part of Operation Christmas Child through the Samaritan’s purse for years. This year SEVERAL groups we are involved with are reaching out in this way. It feels good to be a small part of something so big!
We also typical do a Toys for Tots toy drop. I think our son will connect most with that one, so we will continue to be a part of it.
@juliebavi
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We are doing the Operation Christmas Child fill-a-shoebox this year. My daughter is 3 so she is finally at the age where she can start understanding the importance of giving.
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Christmas is the perfect time to develop traditions with family and friends. Always looking for new ideas and ways to give. With many families tightening their finances this year giving your time is a great tradition to start! Thanks!!!
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Love love love LLBean…they’re awesome!
One tradition of giving we have in our family is that we support a child (or two, or three) through our church’s angel tree. The boys know all about it, we shop together for what that child needs and wants, we wrap the gifts together, and then we are involved in the Christmas party where the gifts are delivered to the families. It’s wonderful!
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We also do the Operation Christmas Child project. Our BX always has an angel tree to buy a gift for a needy child/adult and we select a couple cards and buy for that as well. I’m going to check out the list you provided and see what else we can do this holiday season.
http://www.hephzibahhome.org/home.html
My husband was raised at Hephzibah Home from the time he was 3 to the age of 12. It is a wonderful organization. We give monetary gifts and also we are empty nesters and don’t have Grandkids yet, so it is fun to shop for gifts and send them off. We also give to our local shelter and food bank. I love the Suze Orman saying if your hand isn’t open to give, how can you receive and that is so true.
What a great idea to start talking about this. My family consists of me and my husband and we have already decided we are not doing gifts this year. I’d much rather see us join together to help someone in need and the time to start figuring out where and how to do that, is NOW! Thanks!
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And I just joined the “community” today and posted a question about organizing a cookie exchange at work. Looking forward to getting some feedback!
Our family’s tradition is to take my kids through a toy store and let them pick out $200 of toys for all ages- boys and girls. Afterwards, we head off to build a bear, make two bears (each girl gets to pick) and donate it all to Toys For Tots. As a Marine Wife, I’ve seen first hand the amazing things the Marines do and this organization is definitely worthy of our contribution. This year my husband is hoping to volunteer his time beside the boxes in the mall as well.
Having the girls be in charge of the toy donation is a big learning experience for them. We’ve never dealt with tears or “But I wanted to keep that!” I hope this is a tradition we’re always able to keep and that, as adults, they’ll want to continue.
One of our family traditions, passed down from my Dad’s family is to use Daddy’s wool socks as stockings.
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I love your blog…love your spirit of giving…keep up the good work. And thanks for the fun giveaways!
Great suggestion! Giving is always better than receiving!
Amen, couldnt have said it any better. Thanks for always inspiring me to look at the big picture!
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Bit late! But maybe next year