25 Ways To Share The Joy
- Mend a broken relationship with a friend or relative during the holidays.
- Every night of the Christmas season, before going to bed, ask yourself, "Whose life did I make brighter today?"
- Give your toddler the honor of placing the star or angel on the top of the Christmas tree.
- Try the Swedish custom of writing a short, lighthearted poem on each of your gift cards that half reveals the contents of the package.
- Take a holiday family photograph each year in the same spot, such as by a favorite tree in your yard. In the years to come you'll not only have a wonderful record of the growth of your family, but also of your tree.
- Tell your children about Christmas when you were their age.
- Offer to run Christmas errands for an elderly friend or relative.
- Record a cheerful Christmas greeting for your answering machine.
- Learn to say "Merry Christmas" in several languages.
- Remember that Christmas carols never sound better than when you sing them in church.
- Tip someone who doesn't expect it.
- End an evening with family and close friends by forming a circle, holding hands and singing a favorite carol.
- Reserve a night for the entire family to make ornaments for your tree.
- Set aside some time at the beginning of the holiday season to help your children plan their gift-giving lists.
- On a clear night, find the bright North Star and recall the story of the Wise Men.
- Open Christmas cards as a family activity each night at the dinner table. Read the messages aloud.
- Toast your friends when they are in your home. Tell them how much it means to have them there.
- This Christmas, write letters to several people who have had a positive influence on your life. Thank them for this gift they have given you.
- Take a decorated miniature Christmas tree to someone in a hospital or nursing home.
- Secretly shovel the snow off your neighbor's front walk.
- Instead of giving gifts at the office, take up a collection to donate to a designated charity.
- If you have friends who have lost family members since last Christmas, make a special effort to call and cheer them during the holidays.
- Begin a Christmas journal. Write down memories your family will share: events you attend, presents you give and receive, the inevitable crises that occur.
- Don't try to do everything yourself. Remember, even Santa has helpers.
- Take time to remember that the greatest holiday gift is a home filled with the people you love.