The holidays seem to always be about gifts.  Buying gifts, wrapping gifts, shipping gifts, and getting gifts.  I challenge you to make this holiday about giving.

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I spoke about this book awhile ago on the blog.  Although Leigh Anne Tuohy’s views are based more in religion than my own, the message is simple:  Give when you can and what you can.  I now set aside a specific amount each month to give to a cause.  It is not a large amount and it has gotten much smaller now that I am repaying my loans, but I give it nonetheless.

Holiday Giving Challenge

I challenge all of you to give a little this season.  Take the time and effort to really just give something selflessly.  You will be surprised that giving selflessly actually rewards you.  Your giving can be simple, free, and easy.  Below, I  post some of the ways I have given this season so you can see how easy (and free) giving can be.

• Give time.  Volunteer at a local animal shelter, volunteer to help a group with updating their email/websites, volunteer to help your neighbor carry in their groceries.
• Give joy.  Consider adopting a child/family program where you provide gifts and food for their holiday.  Their wishes are so simple, food and baseball gloves.  (I will admit I did find a couple kids on this program who wish for iPods and laptops…yeah, that is above my price range this year). Give something to those who don’t expect it.  Leave something small (even a $5 Starbucks giftcard) for your dogwalker, paperman, mailman, bus driver, or the person you buy your lunch from every day.  Skipping your $5 latte one day to buy the gift is going to completely brighten someone’s day.
• Give Love. This is the cheapest, easiest way to give and usually the most appreciated.  Call your mother, no matter how busy you are.  Call an old friend and ask how they are (then listen).  Take 10 mins out of your day to do something nice for your significant other/roommate/friend/whoever.  Drop a card in the mail,the excitement of receiving mail never gets old.  Just give someone a hug today.
• Give Money.  And finally, if you are really that busy set aside an amount to give.  On Colorado Gives Day I received an email from Girls on the Run that explained how many girls could be helped if everyone who received the email donated just $1.  You have one dollar in change between your couch cushions…image what could be done if everyone donated $1 today.

No one has ever become poor by giving. -Anne Frank

In the spirit of the season I will be posting every day next week with excerpts from In a Heartbeat: Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving, my own thoughts, and small giving challenges.  Feel free to share your own thoughts, comments, or givings for the day (you may just inspire someone else to give)!

Happy Holidays!