Christmas charity

That's great you do that. We've done the same thing for families that were in rough times during the holidays. The local church handled it. We bought and did the shopping - the church distributed.

I am still pondering about what our Christmas charity will be, but we are already working on the Christmas basket for the local animal shelter.

You are doing a great thing, and what a great Christmas spirit you have.

One of my closest friends hosts a holiday "Toy Party" every year. She provides enough food and goodies for an army, guests must provide (1) holiday spirit (2) liquid cheer and (3) a new, unwrapped toy. The toys are later boxed up and made ready for the local fire department to pick up and distribute. A good time is had by all. The variety of toys ranges from baby rattles to mountain bikes!

I try and keep Christmas in my heart all year.Usually I go to Nursing Homes where I volunteer ,when the kids were small we always got angels off the trees to give back our blessings.

Here's an idea...(if you haven't selected a charitable recipient). A volunteer group I belonged to years ago had an annual party, too, which involved bringing gifts for persons in convalescent care. Usually, those folks don't have room for knick-knacks or home ornamentation, but they do need simple every-day items: a pretty pair of pajamas or a new robe, slippers, a new hairbrush and comb set. Maybe board games for the social room. Books for reading, books with beautiful photographs.

In my family we each take at least one name from the local giving Tree. that person is then responsible for making sure they get the money from me, or use their own, and have the gift back to the store by the deadline.

At the last base, kids and i volunteered with the Toys for Tots program.

I'm already thinking of what to do around the base this year. The tree is good, and with so many needy children, I will still do that. The animal shelter is many towns over and funded by the military. I'll have to ask what they still need.

And then, an idea will come to me.

Thank you for making me think about this ahead of time.

I give to my daughters firends who live on their own. ..but I give all year round

I thought of this too, you just beat me to the punch.

Our church has a huge bus ministry and every year for Christmas we are encouraged to get a gift for specific age groups, from ages 3 years up to high school seniors. Our family gives as if we were giving to our own children. The first year we were here, we gave a 5 yr old girl gift. Last year we gave to both a 5 yr old girl and 3 yr. old boy. This year I am hoping to give 4 gifts to represent each of our children.

Although I have recently been on the recieving end of these charities, before a group I belonged to used to make and distribute gifts to the nursing home, (They liked SMALL frames for pictures of their grandkids and for those without family cookies if they could have thme or some other little things.) Once we had a book drive and brought a box of books over, the nurses distributed them. And once a very long time ago I got to go to the Kids ICU unit on Christmas eve and help distribute Cabbage Patch dolls and other really cool toys. That experience has stayed with me all this time.

Now adays as I have not the funds to help I volunteer my TIME. whereever they need me, I will do what ever needs to be done. Standing and ringing a bell for hours or setting up for the Christmas play, or baking 4 dozen cookies. I am there when ever I can be.

Used to be I would bring kids from the children's mental health facility where I worked home with me for Christmas ... there were always 1 or 2 that didn't have a place to go ... would make sure that they got as much as my own kids did

in recent years I've done the angel tree thing... I have a different idea in mind for this year though

We actually get ages and sizes from our nurse at the local school. We then give them to her. If the family tells her they don't mind, we deliver directly and with a food basket....it always is a good time.

My unit at work adopts a needy family, and we get presents for them from everybody in our unit and I would also try to help somebody around me. When my kids were little, I got presents from a lady whose kids picked out everything. She always got names from an angel tree that were about the same ages as her kids, and the kids would shop for what they wanted or needed for Christmas. That was a tradition I was always hoping to do sometime....

I guess we just give to our church, but a few years ago they had "adopt a child/family" which was a big hit. They got a kick out of us because us suburban folks attached gift receipts to our gifts to them!! Funny!

I think we could do a lot more.

My personal "dream" is a strange one...

Since we don't get together with anyone on Christmas day, I would like to serve dinner to the "less fortunate". I think it'd be great! :)

and, yes, thanks to Kim, i remembered that we invite singles soldiers and geographic bachelors home for dinner.

We usually pick an angel from the Christmas tree at church. You pick an angel that has the kids age and sizes and things the child wants and then you buy and wrap them. The gifts go to kids who have a parent in prison.

I am so excited that SO many people are involved at Christmas time and actually all year long.
I am finally in the position of being able to help others and have found 2 families this year that I have helped annonymously....it feels so good to help others.

YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!THANKS FOR RESPOINDING TO THIS ARTICLE!!!!

We host a family every year, anonymously, and make sure the kids have toys and clothes and the adults have something nice for the holidays, including a good dinner, just like we'd want - no skimping on the food quality or quantity. And a gift certificate to the grocery store to buy something the next day or whenver, food of THEIR choosing. Every family deserves a day off from worrying at least once a year :)

My mother-in-law used to always get an angel off of one of the local angel trees. Last year my husband and I gave to Toys for Tots. We have also hit up the Marines yard sale two years in a row to help out Toys for Tots.

I, as in the past, would give to the Mercy Home For Children here in Chicago as well as a few of the animal shelters as it, too, is my philosophy:
"All Creatures, great and small, I was put on this earth to love them all."

send gift cards annonomously (spelling wrong)

We have a tree at church with names of kids who need Christmas gifts; we pick from there

I try to help all year round. :)

I volunteer time during the Christmas season. I also donate clothing throughout the year (Good stuff too, mainly American Eagle that I have grown out of). This year I want to donate $10 to the foodbank here in town because while we may be poor, I know that there are others who are worse off than us. I remember one year about two years ago (I think), two of my mother's friends made our family their special projects and of course gave us a huge Christmas dinner stuff. So we donated the extra food to the foodbank that year because we did not need it.