How to Create a Memorable Holiday Tradition by Volunteering

For many families, winter holidays include planning for important traditions involving loved ones and friends. Big dinners with family, special church, school or organization functions and shopping for gifts top the list of the most important traditions. During this time, charitable organizations are maxed out with requests from the community to provide services and goods to those in need. Many of the regular volunteers work extra long hours away from their own families and they need backup to handle the increase in requests that come in. From taking phone calls to serving dinners and distributing items to the needy, charities are always looking for an extra hand. You can provide this valuable time to an organization of your choice by checking local newspapers and looking for requests for volunteers. Community organizations also list their needs for volunteers on websites such as Volunteer Match or SERVEnet. You can search for particular types of organizations, such as hospitals, nursing homes or homeless shelters. Once you have located an organization you believe in helping out, contact them by phone to inquire as to their specific needs. Find an activity or a tangible item you would like to provide and then schedule yourself to accomplish this.

If you don't find an organization you want to volunteer for, then create one yourself based on a value that is important to you. For example, you can host a used clothing drive to collect clothes for homeless people over the course of a month then donate the items to the local shelter. Maybe have a bake sale to raise money for the local animal shelter? If you have a particular talent like singing or knitting scarves, you may want to use your time to bring happiness into the lives of a lonely person at a nursing home or hospice facility.

Parents can also use volunteer participation to teach their children a valuable lesson about sharing joy and being generous to others, especially during the holidays. Just think of what it may mean to be able to provide a warm meal to a homeless person or a kind word to an elderly person? By actually participating in a charitable activity, children learn to appreciate what they have and how they can become empowered to give back. Be sure to preserve the memories of this time by snapping a few photos and adding them to a memory album or scrapbook so that the children can look back later and remember what they accomplished

Whatever you choose to do, remember that the point is to give of yourself in the spirit of love and charity. Creating a new tradition by volunteering your time is the best gift you can give yourself and others.