12 WAYS TO BLESS OTHERS DURING CHRISTMAS
I feel like December is always filled with great memories and precious time spent in laughter filled with love. Christmas is my favorite time of year, and it happens to be one of the best times to bless others. I love Christmas, from decorations to the tree, shopping to giving gifts, seeing family to just an amazing “jolly” time.
Christmas, at its heart, is about the love that Christ bore for us when He came to earth on His mission of salvation and deliverance from sin. We give gifts at Christmas in honor of Jesus as a baby in a manger who was God’s gift to all mankind. As you seek to love and bless others during Christmas, here are 12 ways that you can do just that.
Bless Others During Christmas:
- Remember our servicemen and their families. If there is a Veteran’s Home or Hospital near you, send Christmas cards to several of our Heroes, thanking them for their service and sacrifice. Taking cookies or candy is also a possibility. If you know of a wife, mother, or family of a soldier serving overseas, think of ways you can fill their loneliness and let them know people care about them.
- Give a gift of sponsorship. Rather than giving your friends or family members more “stuff” they don’t really need, why not give a gift to a charity in their names. You can give a gift that feeds a child, provides clean water for a community, rescues a child from sex slavery, or whatever it is you or the gift receiver are most passionate about.
- Serve the homeless on Christmas morning. One of the most rewarding things my family has done on Christmas mornings is to serve the homeless. Getting up early, we take coffee, donuts, and little gift bags and go in search of homeless people to wish a Merry Christmas.
- Visit a nursing home. Many elderly people in nursing homes will not have any family or friends visiting them this holiday season. Image sitting in a nursing home during the holidays by yourself.
- Serve a neighbor in need. As you think about your neighbors, which one is having the hardest time this holiday season? It could be someone who has lost a loved one, is struggling financially, or is experiencing health challenges.
- Bless a single mom. The life of a single mom is a tough life as my opening story highlighted. Do you know a single mom who is having a particularly difficult time? How can you make this holiday season brighter for her and her children? Would a card with an anonymous cash gift enhance their holidays?
- Help a struggling co-worker. What if your company was giving away $100 gift card to one deserving employee who is to be selected by co-workers. Each person has one vote and must include the reason why you gave this person your vote. Who would you vote for and what would your note say?
- Make dinner for a family. If there’s a family you know that had a new baby or is suffering from a loss, meeting this practical need is one way to alleviate stress and help them in a huge way.
- Cover someone’s layaway. Especially around the holiday season, surprise a total stranger by picking up their layaway tab.
- Pay for a stranger’s gas. See someone struggling at the pump? Offer to get their gas and encourage them that they’re not alone.
- Hang Christmas lights for the elderly or a single mom. Christmas lights are a fantastic way to spread Christmas cheer. If you’re not able to install them yourself you can hire a Christmas light installation company like www.wehangchristmaslights to do it for you.
- Invite others to serve with you.
By blessing and serving others, I feel that we truly grow in our relationship together and our relationship with Christ. When we stop focusing on ourselves so much and focus on others, great things can happen that shape our lives and who were are. When we are more focused on “loving God and loving our neighbors,” we are experiencing biblical joy. And, nothing can top that.
Merry Christmas!
Will you give unselfishly of your time and/or resources this holiday season to serve or bless those who aren’t as fortunate as you?