Things To Do & Places To Serve with Your Family in Indianapolis During the Holiday Season
The holidays. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with obligations, gift-buying, party-going, and just plain surviving. We watch our kids get swept away with wanting gifts, gifts, and more gifts. One great way to push back at the constant demands is to turn the focus off ourselves and onto others. I know it’s not easy to volunteer with toddlers and young kids. If we’re being real, it’s not even easy to get out of the driveway with little ones, so the thought of adding one more thing to your “to-do list” can seem overwhelming. That is why I’ve broken down for you the easiest, most family friendly way you and your kiddos can give back this holiday season!
Write a Card, Guarantee a Smile!
Kids love stamps, stickers, and glue sticks. Three items guaranteed to make a superb holiday card! Sit down with your kids (or let the older ones work their artistic mojo on their own) and create bright, cheery holiday cards to send to people who could use a smile. Not sure where to start? Here’s a list:
- Soldiers stationed overseas always love to receive letters from home. Visit www.Redcross.org to learn about the American Red Cross’ program and how to send Holiday Mail to a Hero.
- Nursing homes or hospitals always have individuals who are unable to come home for the holidays and would love to have a little bit of extra cheer this year.
- Thank those who keep your family safe by delivering cards to the local fire stations and police departments.
If your kids aren’t sure what to say, ask them what they would want someone to tell them in a card, and see if that gets their juices flowing. Other fun ideas include having your child write his or her favorite knock -knock joke in the card or have friends come over for a “holiday card party”.
Find a local food pantry or shelter and help out
The holiday season can be especially trying for those who don’t have enough to eat, or a place to sleep. Block off a Saturday morning and give 3 or 4 hours of your time helping at a food bank, or even serving soup at a food kitchen. Watching their parents volunteer alongside them will make a big impact on your kids and create a sense of family pride.
If your kids are too young to volunteer at the facility, make a morning of going through your pantry or hitting the grocery store and picking out non-perishable items and toiletries. Make sure you bring your child go with you to deliver the goods.
Click on the following links for local food banks and community meals in the metro Indianapolis area.www.gleaners.org, www.wheelermission.org, www.mozelsanders.org
Clean out those closets and toy rooms!
Give your kids the opportunity to pay it forward and donate some of their gently used clothes and toys to family shelters or coat and holiday drives. Have they moved on from the Doc McStuffins craze? Great! Donate that doctor’s kit and let a different child play doctor. If your kids grew out of their coat in a matter of months, don’t let it go to waste – find it a good home this winter!
Task your kids with picking out five toys, books, or other items that they want to give to another boy or girl in need. Talk about why they’re doing it, and how it’s important for everyone to help each other.
www.onewarmcoat.org, www.goodwillindy.org, www.juliancenter.org, www.archindy.org
Find your kids passion and run with it.
Have a future pop star on your hands? Hit the streets or the nursing home in your town and go caroling! Who can resist little kids belting out “Joy to the World?” The more off-key the better!
If you have a little one who loves to bake, then the sky is the limit – Christmas cookies, homemade candies, and holiday breads. Everyone, from your pediatrician, to the librarian who makes the silly voices at story time, to your kids’ daycare teacher loves a sweet treat. Get baking! As an added bonus, let your kids decorate the packaging.
Whatever it is you decide to do this holiday season to teach your kids the power and importance of giving back, make it fun! Kids feed off your vibe, so try not to make it another chore but instead a fun family activity. As much as is practical, put the decision-making in your child’s court. Let them pick the carols to sing, toys to donate, type of cookies to make, or canned goods to purchase. Make them feel empowered, and hopefully instill a sense of giving that will last them a lifetime.
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You have to because for me the holidays are the one time of the year where my busy family has the time to get together and ya know basically have a good time. I cherish those moments! Family is number 1!!
What GREAT ideas. I agree, these are what the holidays should be about. I like the idea of giving back and getting the kids involved. Definitely doing some of these. Thx for the inspiration.
Yes, baking for me is a must because the kids LOVE doing this, so its always a fun time 🙂
I refuse to get mixed up in all of the holiday hype. The kids are grown and married so it’s a bit different than when they were small. All I do is put up a small tree. If I want something, I’ll buy it. If my husband does, I tell him to get a gift from me.
These are great ideas, its important to remember that the festive season is not all about gifts but giving back to our communities and helping where we can wherever possible. I just went a volunteered at one of our local charities so i can help when i can.
These are great ways to make Christmas count. I’ve begun sorting out my sons old toys and ones he doesn’t use and I plan to donate them. I’ve also written my cards and shall be posting them this week. Handwritten cards and notes always make people smile.
Yes, handwritten notes are definitely becoming a lost art. When I receive them it definitely puts a smile on my face.
I love ideas for giving back. I think I need to get my kids involved more this year in giving back. We’ve helped with meals at an under the bridge homeless ministry before. But I think they need more. I want them to appreciate what they have and realize how blessed they are.
Sounds like you are on the right track on helping your children realize how blessed they are.
It’s really an awesome thought to send letters or prayers to people far away who might not have someone who takes care of them or wish them well. Nurshing homes, hospitals, the orphanage, and local offices are examples of places where we can send our letters. I bet they will be surprised to receive either holiday cards or small gifts from us and feel that they are loved and appreciated with their work. Christmas is a time of giving after all.
I love this idea of making the holidays count! Sometimes we forget to remember our family and friends this holiday season, even though it’s so important to remember them!
I fully agree with you to make Christmas count and that it is not only about gifts. I love your ideas and involving the kids in the giving back part. Clean out those closets and toy toy rooms for sure brings back some memories from when my daughter was a child.
Giving to others is important! We mostly did things for our daughter as this will be her last Christmas as just herself. Her little sister will be born in January and I wanted to make this year memorable for her. However it is important to give to those over seas in the military as many of them cannot be home for this time.
I always feel bad for those in Nursing Homes, it just seems so sad that they are stuck there for the holidays.
Thank you so much for sharing your tips. We already do some of these and should add in more. We make gift baskets for the nursing home residents as well as gift baskets for family and church members that are serving overseas. Thanks again.
These are all great ideas…my nephew and I have to come up with something for his teacher. She’s very patient with him.I think it would be really nice if he made something…at least a card to brighten up her day. I think it would be nice to also have him pick a gift out and wrap it for another in need this year, as mentioned in your post.
We’re always going through our old clothes and toys and everything around the house quarterly.. giving away stuff. This year is a little rougher than most. But normally, we dod the cards to soldiers and such.
I think we really need to take some time off and appreciate the people around us. With the Holiday getting busier each day, thank you for reminding us to spend a few time and write a letter for the people who loves receiving it 🙂