5 Ways to Give Back at the Holidays

This time of year is busy anyway and then we add even more events, outings, get togethers, shopping and baking to our schedule, right? So how on earth do we have time to give back when we want to or know we should? Here are some ideas on how you can give back to your community and ideas on how to incorporate those into your existing routine!

1) Shop local. We're shopping for gifts so instead of hitting the large chain stores or Amazon, go to your local downtown stores, shop on Etsy, or check Facebook and Instagram and search for local makers in your area. You will be helping out a small business and giving a more personal gift!

2) Cook an extra meal. You have to make dinner anyway right? Double your portions of your favorite meal and put it in disposable tin pans, put salad in a ziplock bag, any container that doesn't have to be returned. Deliver your meal to an elderly neighbor, parents with a newborn, a single who isn't going to cook an entire pot roast for themselves...you get the idea.

3) Make and deliver neighborhood treats. Bake with your kids, make candy or fudge, make mini muffins, or homemade jam or applesauce (see my recipe from last month) and drop them off to your neighbors with just a note that says Merry Christmas from your family. Our family has delivered cookies to a trailer park neighborhood and we talked with a lot of working parents who appreciated something homemade for their kids when they were pressed for time to do it themselves.

4) Adopt a family. There are Angel Trees or Salvation Army chapters in a lot of communities where you can pick up a few extra things while you're shopping and make Christmas a bit brighter for someone else. It's easy to include your kids in on this too as you shop.

5) Donate food or gift cards to a local food pantry or after school program. Churches in your area may have food pantires you can give to, even our local grocery store chain donates to local food pantries every time you purchase a specific donation card when checking out. This year my kids are going to local businesses and purchasing gift cards for groceries, gas, and coffee and we are delivering them along with winter hats and gloves to our alternative high school for students that are homeless or need additional resources.