A book written by Jason F. Wright called Christmas Jars tells about a family that saved all their spare change for a year, and gave it away anonymously to bless someone else's life. This idea is catching on with the many people who read this New York Times best selling book.
As I look around I see many people who could use a handup, not a handout. Some have lost their jobs, some have lost their homes, some have health problems, or business problems. I know of a family moving here from Russia with many needs. Another family was burned out of their home.
Local charities collect toys for poor children. The newspaper prints a column of People-in-Need. You can donate food to Walk and Knock. We collect new baseball hats and make fleece laprobes for the Veterans' Hospital. A pregnancy clinic is trying to raise money to buy an ultra-sound machine so young girls can see their babies before they decide to abort them. There are orphanages throughout the world, and victims of various disasters. One group makes small loans to women in India so they can start home-based businesses.
Look around you. What is within your ability to provide comfort or assistance? What about those widows? I can think of half-a-dozen who would appreciate a couple of roses or carnations tied with a holiday ribbon. You can bake Christmas cookies and leave a plate full on a doorstep, or hand them to a neighbor as you sing We Wish You a Merry Christmas. You can surprise a person with 12 Days of Christmas treats or trinkets. If you are in a snowy place there are elderly people who would love to have their sidewalks shoveled so they can walk out to their mailboxes without falling on ice.
If you save loose change, why not dedicate it to filling someone else's need this Christmas season? or, at least start a jar for next year. The more you do, the happier you will be!
