Living
Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season
Slide Nr 1We tend to get wrapped up in the idea of gift giving during the holidays, but there are many more mindful ways to reach out to your loved ones than the usual presents. This month, try doing one kind and thoughtful thing each day – not only will it uplift those around you, but you’ll also benefit from the warm fuzzies you get from doing good for others. Here are some ideas to get you started.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 2Think Big – No matter which religious tradition you’re celebrating, and even if you’re keeping festivities secular, the reason for the season is love for your fellow human. Think beyond your immediate family and circle of friends and spread the love as far as you can. After all, love is one of the few things that grows when you share it.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 3Do Your Best – What you can do for others depends on your abilities. Give that of which you have plenty, but which others may be lacking.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 4Lend A Hand – If you’re big and strong, you can shovel an elderly neighbour’s drive, chop their firewood or carry their groceries.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 5Share Your Wealth – If money is not an issue, give to a local charity that does good work at this time of year, or make a contribution to an international NGO tackling a major issue you care about.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 6Share Your Time – If you have plenty of time on your hands, help out those who are stressed out, for example by babysitting for a single mother while she does the Christmas shopping.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 7Be Curious – Look beyond your own religious and cultural communities, and respect or engage with the traditions cherished by others at this time of year.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 8Interfaith Support – Not all religious holidays at this time of year coincide with bank holidays. Help out a colleague celebrating Hanukkah by covering for them, so they can leave work early. Likewise, take the pressure off those rushing to get away for Christmas Eve, if all you’re planning once you knock off work is a Chinese takeaway.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 9Give A Tip – If you’re dining out, having your hair done or your car serviced before the holidays (and receive good service), give an extra-generous tip. Hospitality workers, in particular, put in long hours at this time of year so others can celebrate. Let them know it’s appreciated.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 10Tip Some More – Is there a delivery person, doorman, local shopkeeper or anyone else who provides good service regularly, whom you don’t usually tip? Prepare a small gift or an envelope with a card and some money thanking them for their services throughout the year.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 11Commiserate And Commemorate – Did you write to a friend who lost a loved one during the year? The first family holiday celebrated without a beloved family member can be hard, so write again to share the grief and perhaps some happy memories.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 12Say Thank You – Have you been on the receiving end of a kind or generous act? This is the perfect time to reach out to that person and let them know how much you appreciated their help or support.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 13Read And Write – On the flip side, make sure you (and your family) truly appreciate the letters and cards received at Christmas. Read them together…
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 14Writing On The Wall – …then put them on prominent display for all to enjoy.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 15Write Back – Needless to say, it’s more than just common courtesy to respond to correspondence. It gives you a chance to reflect on the year gone past and to show appreciation for those who were a part of it.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 16Visit Family – Some kind words and seasonal wishes on paper are great, but remember those who may appreciate a more personal exchange. Visit elderly relatives and those without a family of their own.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 17Visit A Stranger – If there’s no one in your immediate family who might be alone during the holidays, call in to a lonely neighbour or find out if there’s a local retirement home that encourages social visits at this time of year.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 18Donate – December isn’t traditionally a time of year for clearing out your closets, even if you know you’ll be filling them with new things once the presents are unwrapped. Why not make some space by sorting through unwanted clothes and donating them? If you live in the northern hemisphere, they will be a welcome addition to the winter wardrobe of those feeling the cold of the season.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 19Provide Nourishment – While you’re at it, clear out your kitchen cupboard and donate non-perishables that you won’t be using to the local food bank. They feed a lot of people at this time of the year.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 20Pay It Forward – Throughout the season, whenever you’re getting a takeaway coffee, pay for a second one that the barista can give to the next customer, or a person in need.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 21Give Time – The holiday season is all about giving. First of all, there are the actual gifts we buy for the kids and exchange with loved ones. More importantly, there’s the gift of time. Most of us receive time off work, which we in turn devote to friends and family. Place the focus on this valuable yet intangible commodity above material things.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 22Family Bake – Nothing says “wholesome holiday fun for the whole family” like baking. Not only do you get to create delicious treats, catering to all dietary requirements as needed, you also fill the house with that delicious seasonal smell.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 23DIY Gifts – The resulting cookies make a great gift, not only for friends and family, but also for neighbours (you might even get a batch of their home baking in return). Check out more fun DIY gift ideas here.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 24Make, Don’t Buy – Turn onerous chores into shared experiences, simply by doing them together. Instead of one person slaving over a hot stove all day or buying expensive pre-prepared meal ingredients, share the prep work and enjoy each others’ company in the kitchen.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 25Give Time – When it come to our own families, we should value presence over presents. Prioritise experiences shared over gifts exchanged by taking the kids for a special outing or creating a family tradition all your own instead of just buying toys.
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Show Them You Care: 25 Ways To Spread Love This Holiday Season.
Slide Nr 26Make A Date – Vouchers can be a lazy way to avoid buying presents, but a well thought-out gift of time to be spent together in the near future is more precious than anything bought in a store. Just make sure it’s a personal, specific plan and schedule it immediately, so it doesn’t turn into an unredeemed “voucher”. Then you can continue sharing the love, well into the new year.
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