OT holiday giving

tired of the grumbling and unappeciativeness of friends and family over what you give them for christmas?? ready to feel some true christmas spirit?? IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT, please  "adopt" a child or a family for christmas. many christmas assistance programs give people the chance to "adopt". this can give you the chance to interact with the family. many of these programs offer assistance if you have children under a certain age but dont assist with presents for teens. by "adopting", you can buy presents for anyone in the family. i know that teens should be able to understand that money is tight, but it still breaks a parents heart not to be able to buy their kids stuff for christmas. as a parent who has to use these programs (single parent on a fixed income), i beg you IF YOU HAVE THE MEANS TO HELP BRING CHRISTMAS TO ANOTHER FAMILY, PLEASE DO SO! the joy it will bring to know that you have touched someones life is immeasureable!

Kudos to you!!! What a great shout out for this morning.....everybody is starting to think about the holidays and what a better time to remind them of those who may not have one. I have two teenage daughters and they and I have adopted a family or teenager every year for the last 6 years. It started when a friend of Aubrey's was having problems at home and not going to have a Christmas. The girls each wanted to give up their's so they could get her gifts. i was amazed at their generosity and in the end we found the means for everyone to have a nice holiday. that was the beginning of what has now become a holiday tradition. The only thing is they fight over who will get back to the car first when we do the drop off. They are both usually laughing so hard by the time they reach it neither of them win! Aubrey was 7 months pregnant last year and still kept up! I am proud to see my kids give so willingly and understand how some kids may not have the possessions and opportunities they have.  The lessons they have learned from this holiday tradition now carry through the year with them as well and can be exercised on a daily basis. I know everyone bakes and cooks at the holidays...look in your own neighborhood and maybe put together a gift picnic basket of a holiday meal or a  tin of goodies. I still send a tin of my ex-husbands favorite candies to him on the holidays. His mom used to make them for him every year and when she passed at Christmas years ago, I started doing it. This year Aubrey is going to do this for her dad. We are passing the tradition down so to speak!
The point is give......give freely and unconditionally and make someone else's Christmas a little brighter!~

I am so touched by your post.  It hits home in a huge way this year.  I just found out that unemployment can take up to 6 weeks to get rolling.  I lost my job a week ago.  So, my little ones won't be getting much of anything from me.  It makes me cry when I think of it.  I know they will understand but it don't make it any easier.  My oldest two daughters bought each of the two younger ones a coat for winter.  It warmed my heart to see them step up and help out when I know they both are pinching pennies too.  Adopting a family at Christmas is something we have done for the past 3 years and the blessing of it was so rewarding.  Sorry I can't do it this year.  Just hoping to keep my utilities on and rent paid. God will provide. 

If you can do anything to Adopt a Christmas family or child... please do.  Their little faces are priceless when they open the presents and experience a great christmas.  Their parents will be overwhelmed with your love and joy.

Happy Holidays,
Tracy