Tonight, I looked at the mountain the presents I wrapped for our family and friends and I felt happy and sad at the same time. I felt happy that I could bring joy and happiness to my loved ones with the special little (and not so little) things I picked out for each of our loved ones. Then, a wave of sadness washed over me.
Though Little One is still too young to understand the meaning of
Christmas, I want to teach her that it's not about receiving material things. I want to create a special Christmas tradition for her when she's able to understand what it's all about. I was thinking when she's older, I can bring her to the store and get her to pick out a toy or book that she likes so we can donate it to the toy bank for kids who don't have as much as Little One does. I was thinking of getting her to help me make food baskets with non-perishable goods that we can donate to the less fortunate here in Canada. I was thinking of putting together baskets of mittens, hats and warm blankets.
I was also thinking of sponsoring a child through World Vision. I mentioned this to a few friends. A friend of mine mentioned donating to a
charity she is directly involved with. Donations go to giving shelter, food and clothing to Burmese refugee children.
I'm thinking of getting
the Christmas Munch Basket and the Christmas Snuggle Basket and putting it in the name of family members. That way, it's the gift that keeps on giving. Family members will be happy to know that a donation has been made in their names and that these donations make a difference in the lives of children who need them.
Check out the
Room to Grow Foundation. Cheers to my friend, Jenn and everyone involved with the Room to Grow Foundation.
Another friend said that there are lots of children in Canada who are less fortunate and in need of assistance, and suggested I offer help closer to home. I agree that there are children in Canada who would benefit from donations from charities and other organizations...and I do make donations for causes like that.
I also make donations for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and for cancer research. Having a loved one suffer from a heart and stroke, this is a cause that we support. Both Hubby and I have lost family members and friends to cancers of different sorts. We believe in making donations to those causes as well. Another charity that is near and dear to our hearts is
Mount Sinai Hospital's NICU. Little One was born three months premature and without
Mount Sinai's NICU, doctors, nurses, staff, and medical technology, she probably would not be with us today.
Though we don't have much, we can only offer what we can.
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6 comments:
You are so sweet Chris! Great values you are teaching LO. Did you get the Birthday card I sent you? I know your birthday is on Friday but I also know you won't be home to receive my phone call! Where's The Man taking you for your special day? Are you guys taking the baby or is it going to be a date?
A wonderful message!
I never feel like I do enough, like I could do a little more. I also hope to teach this message to my little wiggly girl.
Thank you for the reminder!
you certainly do a lot of giving! That is wonderful. I always plan to do things and never get around to it...so this year when i dropped a box of cereal in the food bank donation box i was very proud of myself.
We always had a "tzedaka" or charity box at home and each shabbat we would put some coins in it. I wonder what my parents did with it!! I want to start doing that with my kids...it is important to teach them not to be selfish and that giving can feel as good as receiving!
oh yeah one last thing...my SIL asks my neice to pick on of the presents she gets from her birthday to keep and donates the rest to charity- i think i would maybe ask them to pick one to donate and keep the rest!
This time of year is when I give to my favorite charities. It always makes me feel good to help in some way.
With you and John as examples, I wouldn't worry about her thinking only of the receiving. You have so many great ideas, and showing her these opportunities to help others, to be grateful for the gifts you have and 'pay it forward' to those who are less fortunate, is a wonderful way to raise a loving, giving child.
Maya is fine with giving money (and so many good places to donate), but she (and we) find more meaning when we put more effort into a donation. Like putting together baskets for Thanksgiving, adopting a family for Christmas and buying them things they need, wrapping gifts at a local shelter, contributing to a food drive. All things she does every year. She loves the getting. LOVES it. But she is also a very giving child.
I have no doubt that your daughter will be the same. :)
D's idea of keeping one gift and giving the rest to charity is a very sweet idea, especially since it will surely reduce the clutter. In many families, however, it would be hard with the family. They would say, "Where's the gift I gave her?" So our way was to wait until her room was cluttered, and then clear out the clutter and give the toys she wasn't using to charity then.