商業主義と消費主義が飽和するこの季節、クリスマスの意味を見失いがちだ。子どもたちはおもちゃのリクエストリストを延々と作り、親たちは季節の義務、活動、パーティーの準備、プレゼントの購入などに振り回される。私たちは、ツリー農園への旅行、クッキー作り、日よけに張られたまばゆいイルミネーションを眺める夜のドライブなどの伝統を取り入れる。クリスマス・シーズンに豊かさを加える一つの方法は、困っている人の生活に変化をもたらすことに焦点を当てた伝統を実行することである。このアイデアのリストでは、家族みんなが誰かのクリスマスを輝かせるために参加できる実践的な方法を紹介している。
Holiday seasons tend to be bleak for those who are away from loved ones. Show a member of our military just how grateful you are by downloading a coloring sheet from Colorasmile.org. It’s as simple as this: Pick a coloring sheet, print it on your home printer, color it, and mail it to the attached address. The colorings are collected and sent to troops around the world. This is a simple way to involve young children in extending kindness, and you don’t even have to leave home!
Many children across the globe don’t receive a single gift for Christmas. This is difficult to imagine in a culture of abundance. Operation Christmas Child is a hands-on opportunity to select gifts for a child, pack the gifts in a box, and send the box to a child whose life will be touched by your kindness. It’s surprisingly fun to fill a shoebox for a child in need, and it’s a great way to help our children shift their focus off of themselves and onto those who have far less.
救世軍はエンジェル・ツリーと呼ばれるプログラムを実施している。このプログラムでは、特定の家族が登録し、新しい衣類の寄付を募っている。寄付を希望する人は、性別と服のサイズから子供を選んで登録し、必要な子供に新しい服を提供する。これは、クリスマス・シーズンに優しさを広げる素晴らしい実践的な方法である。
Many communities organize winter coat drives throughout November and December. Simply save gently used coats, and when the coat drive begins, donate your used coat. Many children enter the winter season without a warm coat that fits. This is a powerful way to impact the life of a family. For more information on locating a coat drive near you or starting your own coat drive, visit One Warm Coat.
Many families in our communities struggle to put food on the table on a regular basis. Reach into the lives of those in need by donating to your local food bank. While it might feel like a lot of work to take your children shopping, let them select large amounts of food, and deliver it to the food bank, this hands-on lesson will make an impact in their lives and in the lives of others. For a list of food banks across the country, check out Feedingamerica.org.
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