Friendly Holiday Traditions That Give Back
Sharing a turkey around a virtual table. Singing carols to grandparents on FaceTime. Exchanging gifts through the mail. Because of the pandemic, the holidays this year are going to be different than anything else we’ve ever experienced, and our traditions might look a little different too. Something that does not need to change is helping others and our holiday cheer!
So everyone bring your holiday spirit because MaxxSouth’s got COVID-friendly ways to give back that you can do at home or safely in-person.
Start a Family Thankful Jar
What better way to get your family thinking about all the things they’re grateful for than by writing them down!
Put an old mason jar on your counter with little paper squares and a pen. Leading up to the end of the year, ask your family members to write down something they’re thankful for and put it in the jar at least once a day. On New Year’s Day, pull all the notes out of the jar and read them together. To make the tradition even more meaningful, pledge to give a dollar (or a quarter, or whatever works for your family) to your local food bank or pantry for each note in the jar.
Bake Cookies
Instead of getting together in person and sharing cookies, set up a Zoom get-together with friends or family. Ask everyone to bring their two favorite cookie recipes. Go around the room and let everyone explain why they love their recipes!
Volunteering Safely
Christmas is a very busy time for food banks and very popular times to volunteer. During the pandemic, food banks and food pantries are taking extra precautions to keep volunteers and visitors safe. This may mean that some of the programs you might be used to volunteering at such as holiday soup kitchen meals may not be happening, or may look a little different this year. Be sure to call ahead!
Sending Words of Inspiration
Sometimes, the simplest way we can touch the lives of our neighbors struggling is to just most importantly be kind and giving. This holiday, try to give a neighbor some words of inspiration, or ask what you can do to help them with this holiday season!
