conj Posted October 11, 2009 Posted October 11, 2009 Last night at dinner my kids (11 & 9) agreed to forgo 1 night of Hanukkah gifts, and we would use that money to provide a holiday for kid(s) who may not get many gifts otherwise. I am proud of them for making that decision. That started a discussion of how much $$ per person per night we thought was spent... wow, they have some skewed ideas. I plan on taking them shopping, (maybe with tags off the tree, or my friends church sponsers a family) and let them pick stuff out. So, How do your kids help others for the holidays?
santaclaus Posted October 11, 2009 Posted October 11, 2009 Well, he isn't much of a kid anymore but our son gets names from a Caring Tree and buys coats for 3-4 kids. He also gets a name from where he works and provides Christmas for a child. He also gets us involved. I am so proud of the man we raised. He's always thoughtful, always generous.
KrystalMae1231 Posted October 11, 2009 Posted October 11, 2009 We usually give to our Salvation Army tree every year. We always pick a girl and a boy to give to. Unfortunately my husband and I were both laid off this year and are still looking for work. We are not going to be able to give this year. BUT my daughter and I ALWAYS volunteer our time to the tree and hope that what little we do helps. It's getting really tough for her to believe in Santa when we help with these trees. She doesn't understand why some kinds don't get anything and others do. I am just glad she has such a big heart at only 8, and I know someday she will fully understand why we do what we do. She loves to give and I love to set a good example. I hope others are introducing their kids to helping out even if they don't have the money to give.
guilliam Posted October 11, 2009 Posted October 11, 2009 When ds19 was little, he had to clean out his toybox every year in October or November to make room for new toys Santa would bring. Most of them were like new and I often saved the original boxes and donated them to a program that let low income parents come and pick out gently used toys for their children for Christmas. He was always willing to donate. We haven't started anything with ds7 because he really doesn't get it yet. We do give him money to put in the Salvation Army Kettle at Walmart when we go though. He enjoys that and we try to explain to him what the money is used for.
teach2nuts Posted October 11, 2009 Posted October 11, 2009 I wanted my son to realize that not every child gets presents for Christmas. At the age of 4 we started doing the "Good Samaritan" shoeboxes for children. My son always picks a boy his age and picks out things he likes and puts them into the box. He has been very creative through the years buying combs, toothpaste, socks, coloring books, crayons, matchbox cars etc. He looks forward to this every year and he is only eight years old. I am hoping we will continue this tradition and it will carryover to his own children one day. :)
zoemariesmamma Posted October 12, 2009 Posted October 12, 2009 We usually give to our Salvation Army tree every year. We always pick a girl and a boy to give to. Unfortunately my husband and I were both laid off this year and are still looking for work. We are not going to be able to give this year. BUT my daughter and I ALWAYS volunteer our time to the tree and hope that what little we do helps. It's getting really tough for her to believe in Santa when we help with these trees. She doesn't understand why some kinds don't get anything and others do. I am just glad she has such a big heart at only 8, and I know someday she will fully understand why we do what we do. She loves to give and I love to set a good example. I hope others are introducing their kids to helping out even if they don't have the money to give.My little girl asked why Santa didn't get the little girl that we had anything last year. We were doing clothes for the angel tree..so I told her that Santa gets the wants and we were helping out with the needs. It worked for me because Santa has always given her the fun toys and such and if there is a necessity in the pile it is from mommy and daddy.
vsa3janes Posted October 12, 2009 Posted October 12, 2009 When my dd was young every year, even in the most lean times, we picked a name from the Salvation Army tree and bought the child a gift. She loved picking out gifts that she thought would make them happy. Now I try to do the same thing with my granddaughter and will with my grandson. My niece's school does a different thing, they have a mitten/glove/hat/scarf tree. All the kids bring in some of each and fill the tree from Thanksgiving until the week of Christmas break then they are given to a local shelter for the homeless. I am a firm believer in teaching my kids that it is important to think of others all year and especially during the holidays when everyone's isn't so bright.
berry1014 Posted October 12, 2009 Posted October 12, 2009 We do toys for tots and have the kids help pick out toys for different age groups. We will pick up a toy for a baby, toddler, child and a teen. A few years ago DD asked why we did that since Santa can bring them things. In our house not all the presents come from Santa, only a few and the stocking come from Santa and the rest of the gifts are from mom and dad. Well we explained to her that in some families the mommies and daddies can't buy presents for their kids for various reasons so we are helping those mommies and daddies be able to give presents to their children like we give them presents. So far she has accepted that answer and never questioned that again.
MollyTrolly Posted October 20, 2009 Posted October 20, 2009 at 8pm on December 24, 2004 my daughter (14 mos old) was admitted into the hospital with Pneumonia, that next Christmas morning, her hospital room was visited at least half a dozen times by complete strangers bringing her gifts for Christmas. It was one of the most amazing things I had ever been through. Every year since, we (me, DH, DD6 and DS4) pay it forward driving the 30 minutes from our house back to that hospital at 8am Christmas morning to deliver gifts to the children that are there for the holiday. Our kids don't know Christmas any different, its a great way to start off the day.
Mikesgirl Posted October 20, 2009 Posted October 20, 2009 My DD9's grade school the 4th grade goes and collects names off of an angel tree at our mall and they buy for all the Angels they collect for.. They ask for each child to bring $5 for the Angel tree shopping.. We pick an angel off the tree and buy for that angel as well.
conj Posted October 20, 2009 Author Posted October 20, 2009 at 8pm on December 24, 2004 my daughter (14 mos old) was admitted into the hospital with Pneumonia, that next Christmas morning, her hospital room was visited at least half a dozen times by complete strangers bringing her gifts for Christmas. It was one of the most amazing things I had ever been through. Every year since, we (me, DH, DD6 and DS4) pay it forward driving the 30 minutes from our house back to that hospital at 8am Christmas morning to deliver gifts to the children that are there for the holiday. Our kids don't know Christmas any different, its a great way to start off the day.Do you call 1st to find out the ages/genders of the kids? What do you bring?
ourhappyfamily4 Posted October 20, 2009 Posted October 20, 2009 at 8pm on December 24, 2004 my daughter (14 mos old) was admitted into the hospital with Pneumonia, that next Christmas morning, her hospital room was visited at least half a dozen times by complete strangers bringing her gifts for Christmas. It was one of the most amazing things I had ever been through. Every year since, we (me, DH, DD6 and DS4) pay it forward driving the 30 minutes from our house back to that hospital at 8am Christmas morning to deliver gifts to the children that are there for the holiday. Our kids don't know Christmas any different, its a great way to start off the day.wow... i think that is Amazing!
KrystalMae1231 Posted October 21, 2009 Posted October 21, 2009 at 8pm on December 24, 2004 my daughter (14 mos old) was admitted into the hospital with Pneumonia, that next Christmas morning, her hospital room was visited at least half a dozen times by complete strangers bringing her gifts for Christmas. It was one of the most amazing things I had ever been through. Every year since, we (me, DH, DD6 and DS4) pay it forward driving the 30 minutes from our house back to that hospital at 8am Christmas morning to deliver gifts to the children that are there for the holiday. Our kids don't know Christmas any different, its a great way to start off the day.That is amazing. Please let us know how you work out the legistics. Would love to do this here.... maybe get our office to donate. Since things are so tight around here. Krystal
eve Posted October 21, 2009 Posted October 21, 2009 That is amazing. Please let us know how you work out the legistics. Would love to do this here.... maybe get our office to donate. Since things are so tight around here. Krystal:gdiagree:
AliKat Posted October 21, 2009 Posted October 21, 2009 :gdiagree::2woot: Yes please tell us how you went about this!!
aleighc1 Posted October 22, 2009 Posted October 22, 2009 We do Toys for Tots (even more now that DH's brother is a Marine). Also, my entire extended family all pitch in together and we adopt a couple families at Christmas. (we forgo buying gifts for each other, and use that money instead to buy Christmas for others) One of our families last year had just gotten their very own first appartment. (it was a mom and three children who spent a long time living at a shelter after leaving an abusive husband) We provided gifts for them all (including stockings, ornaments, decorations, etc...), and helped furnish their house and stocked them up on cleaning supplies and other important household items that everyone needs. The children had no idea they were being "adopted" at Christmas. (my mom works at an elementary school, and these kids attend her school. We usually get our families from her school as there are many in need) My mom said they were beaming when they came back from vacation. She said they were so proud of their new clothes, and so happy to be able to tell their friends what they got for Christmas. That was such a fun family to buy for, being able to help them start their lives over. :) I LOVE the hospital idea. Love it. My baby boy was admitted to a children's hospital last month for emergency abdominal surgery, and we stayed for a week. It was so hard, I can't even imagine being there for Christmas. I'm going to look into this at our children's hospital and see what I can do. That is just awesome.
tntsmomie Posted October 22, 2009 Posted October 22, 2009 Although we've been donating to Toys for Tots for years, and DD6 just started to really understand last year when we talked about it again. Both kids (her and DS4) enjoy picking out gifts for the bins. I can't wait to do it again this year! I'd also really like to look into donating our time to a good cause...any suggestions?? This year, we're also doing something a little bit different for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. My husband is an instructor at his Coast Guard base here. Often times, there are students left on-base for these holidays (family lives too far away, no transportation, etc). He came home yesterday and said he'd like to adopt some of these Coasties and bring them home for the holidays. This holds a special place for me b/c I can remember being in Basic Training over Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. We were adopted out to local families and able to spend the majority of Christmas Day with their family (and many of these families had no military affiliation. They were just local civilian families with rather big hearts). We could call home, eat what we wanted, take a nap. And the families would be given a list of acceptable gifts they could give us (envelopes, paper, pens, stamps, etc). Granted, the men and women in his classes have much more freedom than you do in Basic, but I'm very anxious to share our home and family with them, especially at Christmas, as the base essentially closes for 2 weeks. Could you imagine being on-base for 2 weeks, no classes, not much to do, at the holiday season? And with my family now having moved away from the area, we're alone this holiday season. It'll be nice to have a full house. :)
eve Posted October 22, 2009 Posted October 22, 2009 Although we've been donating to Toys for Tots for years, and DD6 just started to really understand last year when we talked about it again. Both kids (her and DS4) enjoy picking out gifts for the bins. I can't wait to do it again this year!I'd also really like to look into donating our time to a good cause...any suggestions?? This year, we're also doing something a little bit different for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. My husband is an instructor at his Coast Guard base here. Often times, there are students left on-base for these holidays (family lives too far away, no transportation, etc). He came home yesterday and said he'd like to adopt some of these Coasties and bring them home for the holidays. This holds a special place for me b/c I can remember being in Basic Training over Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. We were adopted out to local families and able to spend the majority of Christmas Day with their family (and many of these families had no military affiliation. They were just local civilian families with rather big hearts). We could call home, eat what we wanted, take a nap. And the families would be given a list of acceptable gifts they could give us (envelopes, paper, pens, stamps, etc). Granted, the men and women in his classes have much more freedom than you do in Basic, but I'm very anxious to share our home and family with them, especially at Christmas, as the base essentially closes for 2 weeks. Could you imagine being on-base for 2 weeks, no classes, not much to do, at the holiday season? And with my family now having moved away from the area, we're alone this holiday season. It'll be nice to have a full house. :)that is a really cool idea....
conj Posted November 30, 2009 Author Posted November 30, 2009 we got a family from a local church - only the pastor knows who they are... 2 girls (1 little, one not) mom, and dad. They only asked for necessities... clothes. I will pick up clothes - but I am thinking toys as well :) and I have an MP3 player for the older girl :) waiting on ages before i pick out clothes. I have sizes, but want to match age with selection.
inluvstill Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 we got a family from a local church - only the pastor knows who they are... 2 girls (1 little, one not) mom, and dad. They only asked for necessities... clothes. I will pick up clothes - but I am thinking toys as well :) and I have an MP3 player for the older girl :) waiting on ages before i pick out clothes. I have sizes, but want to match age with selection.This is what we did last year, except it was a mom and three kids! It was an awesome experience. THe mom was blown away and sent us a thank you note through the person we got her info from. We do not know them personally or even their names but it was wonderful to know that what little we could do, helped them a lot!
hopeky94 Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 My church provides food baskets every year for 3-4 families, and for the last 4 years my office has bought for the kids of these families. We call them our "stocking kids" because I take the info for each child and print it out inside of a picture of a little stocking. Each person who wants to help takes a stocking, buys for the child, then brings the wrapped gifts to the office for me to take to the church to be delivered with the baskets. I always try to buy a little something for each parent too, even if it's just gloves and a scarf. A couple of years, I also bought real stockings for the kids and asked coworkers to bring in candy and other small items to stuff them. But my favorite part of the whole experience is helping to deliver everything. When small kids ask, we've told them that Santa was very busy and asked us to help. We've had parents help us set everything in the garage or storage building so the kids won't see it (they hope!) and some who made sure the kids weren't home when we came. But probably the most precious to me are the children who understand what's going on and are soo thrilled and appreciative-- and anxiously begging the parents to let them open some! LOL Delivering those baskets and gifts is THE highlight of my Christmas season and helps me to remember the TRUE meaning of the season, when everything else around me seems so hectic and chaotic!
redraccoon Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 I think its an awesome idea to have kids - even little ones - give to those less fortunate. It really helps teach them to be grateful for that which they receive.
pinkshamrocks Posted December 3, 2009 Posted December 3, 2009 Each of our children gives a toy to Toys for Tots. The only rule is it has to be something they really, really want themselves. This year, we're keeping one of the gifts we're giving a secret from them. It's something they don't even know exists, but is a very hard to get toy this year. I don't want to ruin my kids' surpise, but really want to share this toy with someone who might not otherwise get it.
Recommended Posts