This is the season for gift receiving. In addition, for gift giving. It is important to remember this all year, but this time of year tends to call the heart. One of our family traditions growing up was picking an ornament with a family name from our Christmas tree at church. We would then sponsor this family for the holiday. We would shop together, wrap the gifts, and bring them back to the church to set beside the tree. The church would then deliver the gifts to the local families. My Mom made it a point to teach us how wonderful giving is, and how even a little gesture can go a long way. There was such a sense of reward, as children being part of such a special event.
In this instance, I am discussing generosity in the heart, and the meaning behind giving. As many know, the tradition of Santa Clause came from a merging of Father Christmas and St. Nicholas many years ago. St Nick was a Bishop, a real person. But above all, he was a generous heart. There are many organizations that make it easy to give to children and families in need. You can do this from the comfort of your home. A few organizations we have participated in as a family recently, are Operation Christmas Child, Samaritans’s Purse, as well as Compassion International. Compassion international gives you the opportunity to sponsor a child for the entirety of their youth. You pay for their education, clothes, and food. I have included links to these.
Locally, Feed the Hope has been featured in the news and other outlets. They have provided more than 500,000 pounds of food to feed families in the Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks County, and surrounding areas during the recent hardships. Your local religious institutions or hospitals may also be participating in these sponsoring events. Generosity, and cheerful giving is not something we are all naturally born with, but we can learn. Therefore, this year and beyond, let us model for future generations, and begin or continue the tradition of gifting to those experiencing a financial hardship. Happy Holidays and Breathe Easy.
