National Day of Giving
|How very fitting that, so soon after Thanksgiving, we should have a day specifically for giving – giving to friends, family, and those in need. It’s getting closer and closer to holiday season crunch time, and this is no time to forget the people in our lives that need our help. Have you pitched in around the house, or do you consider washing dishes your “one and done?” Take a look at your home, your community – is there more you could give to help them? For most people, it only takes a little bit of time, or pocket change, to make a difference.
How do you prefer to give? Some people choose to ‘give’ by offering their time to people who need it – babysitting younger family members, helping the less-mobile community members with their cleaning and holiday decorating, and giving rides to people who don’t have an easy way to get to places on their own. To some people, this is the “easy” way to give, as there’s not necessarily any money spent, and it’s an easy way to give to those in need without a lot of planning. Easy or not, it’s still a wonderful way to help the people who need it by making a point to “give.”
Another tried and true way to give to those who need it is, of course, picking up items or groceries so someone else can spend their time (and money) addressing more pressing things on their plates. A method that many people swear by, it’s a way to make a difference in the lives of the recipients. It makes a difference in the life of the student who needs a cheap laptop to type up their final paper, the handyman who broke his old multi-tool and doesn’t have a way to pick up another one, or the frantic mom who lost her phone and needs a way for her kids’ school to get a hold of her when needed. All great ways to help out, all relatively inexpensive.
It’s already going to be one hectic holiday season, so if you find a way to help lighten someone’s load, don’t look the other way. Small gestures can make the biggest impact. You don’t have to be a millionaire with loads of time on your hands to make a difference in someone’s life. An old cell phone, a couple bags of groceries, a couple hours of your time in the evening – it starts with small things.
Do you have your own ways of giving? Do you have some favorite ways of pitching in during the holidays, or do you have some ideas on how people can give on their own time? Let us know in the comments, or drop a line on the PropertyRoom.com Facebook page. Happy holidays, and happy giving!