Reading the original story of St. Nicholas brings to mind the vibrancy of the Christmas season and why it resonates with us, beyond the glittering new toys and the delectable food. The modern-day Santa Claus is derived from the legend of St. Nicholas of Turkey, a man who traveled the land after his parents passed, generously distributing the great wealth of his inheritance to those in need. He even found ways to bless people in secret, secretly throwing bags of gold coins into the home of a family he knew was in need. St. Nick gave with intense joy, knowing he was bringing blessings and joy to hearts that needed a spark of light. This Christmas it might not be bags of gold that we give. But the spirit of giving doesn’t rely on the quantity of the gift, but on the quality, the spirit of the giving. Having this spirit can look different ways, such as giving time on a weekend or going the extra mile just to make someone feel loved. Here are some local opportunities to welcome the spirit of giving, embrace it fully, and watch the light we share brighten up those around us.
Christmas Dinner for All - Christmas meals and desserts bring so much vibrancy to the holiday season, from the honey ham to the gingerbread man cookies. Christian Community Action (CCA) works to provide a merry Christmas to families who can’t afford it by giving out groceries for a delicious Christmas dinner and presents for the children. Before tuning out the world and celebrating Christmas morning on December 25, donate to CCA or buy a gift off of their convenient Amazon wishlist to ensure that another family is also having a merry Christmas morning. For more info on dropping off food items at the food pantry, hosting a food drive, or other donations, visit https://www.ccahelps.org/#donate
The Christmas List - The Children’s Advocacy Center for North Texas offers the opportunity to adopt a child’s wish list this Christmas! This is the perfect way to know that your generosity is going straight towards putting a smile on a child’s face and easing the burden of many families in crisis at the end of this year. Visit cacnorthtexas.org/holidays for more.
Giving Together - Following the collection of countless boxes donated to the Operation Christmas Child program, comes the need to inspect and ship out these little bundles of joy! Volunteering at the local DFW shoebox processing center is a great way to invest in sending holiday joy across the world either individually, as a family, or as a group! Visit samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/volunteer-at-a-shoebox-processing-center/
Communities and Kids - Communities in Schools North Texas is welcoming Christmas gift donations for their students! This is a great thing to do as a family as the kids get to pick out the items they love and share them with students across the community! Shopping for items such as board games, stocking stuffers, new books and winter coats is so much fun when you know that it is going to a kid in need, what a great opportunity to get the kids involved in the spirit of giving! Donations can be dropped off at the CISNT location on 217 S Stemmons Frwy Suite 101 Lewisville, TX 75067
Christmas Bells - Bring your neighbors or community group and join The Salvation Army as a bell ringer! This fun and musical opportunity is the perfect chance to get out there with your friends, have a friendly competition of who can bring in the most donations, and ring their bells the loudest, and support a cause that directly goes back to the community! Sign up now to adopt a shift as bell ringers for the Christmas Kettle! Go to RegistertoRing.com to sign up.
