Content provided by the Health & Wellness Team at GBS Benefits
The holiday season has a way of warming our hearts and igniting the spirit of generosity within us. Sometimes the greatest gifts aren’t found beneath a tree but wrapped in kindness, thoughtfulness, and compassion. Enjoy the spirit of giving this season by giving your time and talents through acts of service.
The act of giving can help alleviate holiday-related stress and anxiety by focusing outward on those you care about. It also reaffirms your sense of purpose and belief that your actions matter. It fosters a sense of belonging and connections with your community and the people you help by reinforcing the idea that we are all interconnected.
Here are some ways you can maximize your volunteer opportunities:
Volunteer with Passion. Find an organization or activity that supports something you love. Offer your time and talents to benefit a cause that you feel passionately about. (i.e. local animal shelter, community events that support music or sports)
Consider Your Skills. Do you enjoy working with children? Are you looking for a creative outlet? Do you work from home and miss regular social interaction? Look for opportunities that fit your needs and utilize your specific skill set.
Bring Backup. Invite your friends, family, or coworkers to join you. Bond over the experience and help keep each other motivated or accountable. The more the merrier!
Be Realistic. Know what you can offer and when you’re available. Clearly communicate and don’t overschedule yourself. Ask yourself the following questions:
- How much time can I realistically give in a week, month, or year?
- Is there a specific time commitment required for this opportunity? Does it fit with my schedule?
- What tasks am I unable or not willing to do?
Pay it Forward. Service opportunities don’t have to be grand gestures or long time commitments. Simple acts of service are just as meaningful and often benefit those within your inner circle. Consider the following ideas:
- Take a task off a coworker’s to-do list.
- Express gratitude to a loved one for something specific they did
- Share compliments freely.
- Bring a snack to the office to share.
- Cook a meal for your neighbor.
- Send flowers to a friend.
- Offer to pick up groceries or drive an elderly neighbor to the doctor.
Post Local Volunteer Opportunities. Recruit volunteers at www.volunteermatch.org/recruit-volunteers. If you have a goal or project in mind, share about it on social media to find likeminded people.
Share Your Experience. Use social media to share about the service opportunity, how it benefited those involved, and how others can join if they’re interested. People usually have great intentions but lack the action piece. Sharing your positive volunteering experience can act as a reminder for others to do the same!
Need some inspiration? Here are some ways you can spread joy in your community:
- Deliver cookies to employees at a fire station, police station, or hospital on Christmas Day.
- Create a care basket for mail carriers and delivery personnel working extra hours this season. Fill it with snacks and goodies and place it outside your door with a sign inviting them to take what they need.
- Adopt a family or choose a child’s name off a giving tree to spoil during the holidays.
- Pool together money to buy a tank of gas for someone who can’t afford to go home for the holidays.
- Sing carols at the local care center. Write notes or make paper decorations for residents’ rooms.
- Volunteer to read a festive book to your child’s class, or contact your local bookstore or library to see if you can schedule a time to read aloud to their children’s section.
- Donate food or time to your local food bank.
- Donate supplies to your local animal rescue or shelter.
- Share notes of appreciation with your coworkers.
- Offer to take something off your coworker’s to-do list.
- Fun a 5K for a good cause. Look at what’s available near your or try out a virtual run!
- Donate toys for Toys for Tots.
- Pay for the groceries of someone behind you.
The power of generosity should last well beyond the holiday season. Extend the joy of giving by planning a service activity for each month of the new year!
References:
https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/holidays/featured-holidays/christmas/20-ideas-for-serving-others-as-a-family-this-christmas/
https://givefinity.com/blog/spreading-joy-the-art-of-giving-during-the-holidays/
