6 Meaningful Christmas Traditions That Put Others First

In a season saturated with commercialism and consumerism, it’s easy to lose the meaning of Christmas. Meanwhile, some of the most meaningful Christmas traditions are the ones that put others first.

Meaningful Christmas Traditions

One way to add a layer of richness to the Christmas season is by implementing meaningful Christmas traditions that focus on making a difference in the lives of others.

This list of ideas offers practical ways to involve everyone in the family in making someone else’s holiday brighter.

1. Color a smile for a soldier.

Holiday seasons tend to be bleak for those who are away from loved ones. Show a member of our military just how grateful you are by downloading a coloring sheet from Colorasmile.org.

It’s as simple as this: Pick a coloring sheet, print it on your home printer, color it, and mail it to the attached address. The colorings are collected and sent to troops around the world.

This is a simple way to involve young children in extending kindness, and you don’t even have to leave home!

2. Fill a box for Operation Christmas Child.

Many children across the globe don’t receive a single gift for Christmas.

This is difficult to imagine in a culture of abundance. Operation Christmas Child is a hands-on opportunity to select gifts for a child, pack the gifts in a box, and send the box to a child whose life will be touched by your kindness.

It’s surprisingly fun to fill a shoe box for a child in need, and it’s a great way to help our children shift their focus off of themselves and onto those who have far less.

3. Be an angel by donating to the Angel Tree.

The Salvation Army runs a program called Angel Tree. Through this program, specific families enroll for donations of new clothing. Those who wish to contribute sign up by selecting a child by gender and clothing size, and they provide new clothing for the child in need.

This is a wonderful hands-on way to extend kindness in the Christmas season. For more information, check out the Angel Tree information page.

4. Participate in a coat or clothing drive.

Many communities organize winter coat drives throughout November and December.

Simply save gently used coats, and when the coat drive begins, donate your used coat. Many children enter the winter season without a warm coat that fits.

This is a powerful way to impact the life of a family. For more information on locating a coat drive near you or starting your own coat drive, visit One Warm Coat.

5. Donate to your local food bank.

Many families in our communities struggle to put food on the table on a regular basis. Reach into the lives of those in need by donating to your local food bank.

While it might feel like a lot of work to take your children shopping, let them select large amounts of food, and deliver it to the food bank, this hands-on lesson will make an impact in their lives and in the lives of others. For a list of food banks across the country, check out Feedingamerica.org.

6. Send a source of income to an impoverished family across the globe.

While food baskets and clothing donations are helpful ways to reach out to those in our region of the world, one of the most powerful ways to impact the life of a family in an agricultural nation is by donating livestock.

A milk cow, goat, or clutch of chickens can provide both food and sustainable income through producing milk or eggs for a family to eat and sell.

Heifer International offers a wide variety of animals that can be purchased for families in need across the globe. This is also a great way to teach our children about the differences between various cultures.

Why Make the Effort and Add a Meaningful Christmas Tradition to Your Life?

To the overbooked parent at Christmas, adding a new tradition to the list might feel like too much work.

Try replacing a past tradition with one of these outward-focused causes, and you might be surprised by the joy that comes when you teach your children the importance of keeping their eyes open for the needs around them.

Your kindness is sure to make a lasting impact on those you serve, and you won’t soon forget it either.

A Meaningful Christmas Gift for the Mothers and Daughters in Your Life:

My 12-year-old daughter, Bekah, and I wrote a mother-daughter devotional book to help mothers and daughters grow closer together while connecting with God. Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith includes 60 devotions with Scripture, commentaries from both of us, conversation starters, and even a shared journaling section. Multitudes of mothers, daughters, mentors, and younger women are being transformed by this book! You can find this book in eBook form for free on the Kindle Unlimited Plan or buy a print copy for 11.99 right here.