A Dream Is A Wish Their Hearts Make: 25 Adventures In Giving This Holiday Season

Here come the holidays and with them, the spirit of giving. But who says you have to give the same way every year?

- Christina Katz

If you have a holiday giving tradition and you love it and want to stick with it, that’s great. But maybe, like my family, you enjoy shaking things up each year as you explore new ways to enrich other people’s lives.

Big or small, by varying the ways you give, you can create meaningful experiences for your family beyond simply writing a check or making an electronic transfer. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with giving money in any form during the holiday season, why not try to make giving more of a family adventure? Get the whole clan involved in the journey. Encourage family discussions that focus on having empathy for other people’s life situations.

In recent years, we’ve given locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. We strive to be philanthropic as well as spontaneous. By appreciating those we feel grateful for, we touch many lives each holiday season. We don’t give because we are rich; we give because it makes us feel prosperous.

Remember the song from the Disney classic Cinderella, “A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes.” Every heart longs for something specific this holiday season. Everyone in the world has needs and wants. Is there any better feeling than fulfilling another person’s yearning? Warming many hearts all holiday season is a life-long lesson that goes beyond being charitable. Here are some ideas to get your family brainstorming.

1 Take a Ticket. Look for giving trees in stores that support local charities. Contribute a longed-for toy to a child who might not otherwise receive it or donate experiences like going to the zoo or to the theater.