Inexpensive Home Heating Christmas Gift Ideas for the Less Fortunate

When we think of giving to the needy at Christmas time, we think of collecting shiny new toys for a bright Christmas morning. However, opening new presents in a cold home with runny noses and frigid toes isn't much fun. While we remember to help others experience a bit of our extravagance, we forget the most basic necessities that needy families desire during a bitter winter season. This Christmas, consider also giving the gift of warmth to comfort those enduring a harsh holiday. Check out the following inexpensive home heating gift ideas for the less fortunate for a quick and simple start.

Home Heating Gift Idea #1: Sealant. If you've never experienced a winter without complete protection in a safe and solid home, you likely cannot relate to putting your children to bed at night knowing that the freezing air will find it's way into their rooms. Cracks in walls, floors and ceilings can be temporarily sealed to keep cold air (and water) out of the home. The slightest crack can cause a great deal of discomfort in a home that is rarely heated properly to begin with, and just a few tubes of high quality sealant can make all the difference.

Home Heating Gift Idea #2: Heavy drapes. Most of us aren't aware of just how much of a difference our drapes make in heating our homes. Remove yours for one winter's night, and you'll quickly understand how important this relatively inexpensive insulation measure truly is. Most less fortunate families can only afford sheers to cover their windows, if anything at all, meaning that very little muffles the cold that comes in from what may be insufficient windows with cracks and holes. One pair of good, heavy drapes for a child's bedroom may make a world of difference to a family struggling to keep their children healthy and warm this Christmas season.

Home Heating Gift Idea #3: Door sweepers. Small rubber "sweepers" can easily be attached to the bottom of doors that would otherwise leave gaping holes leading to the floor. Drafts commonly come into the homes of the less fortunate due to doors that are not properly attached or fitted to their frames. A door sweeper, costing only a few dollars, can completely alleviate the problem.

Home Heating Gift Idea #4: Rugs and runners. Walk into the home of a less fortunate family and you may find concrete or unfinished flooring. Besides the obvious dangers, uncarpeted flooring can be painfully cold for feet during the winter season. Not only that, but the entire house in general is likely to be much colder than necessary without the proper flooring and carpeting. Giving area rugs, runners, and even just a kitchen mat or two to place where family members stand or walk most can make for a much warmer Christmas morning.

Home Heating Gift Idea #5: Blinds. If you cannot afford to purchase heavy drapes, as suggested in Step #2, providing blinds is the next best option. Many needy families this Christmas will have next to nothing on their windows, most hanging sheets or clothing to sustain a bit of privacy and dignity. Even the most inexpensive blinds can offer not only extra protection from the elements, but also a sense of decency and pride for less fortunate families.

Home Heating Gift Idea #6: Safe, oscillating space heaters. Two points need to be kept in mind here. The first is that what you would use to heat a bathroom needy families may be using to heat an entire home. Heaters that rotate are best for warming larger areas, so be sure to choose an oscillating model. Secondly, most of the poor in America are children, meaning that your chosen heater will likely end up in the bedroom of a child. If you wouldn't deem the product safe enough for your own child's room, step it up a notch.

These simple and inexpensive gift ideas can make a tremendous difference this Christmas season for the lives of less fortunate families in your area. As most are extremely cost efficient for the average family, consider buying several items for one family and perhaps taking part in a community program that will allow you to help them utilize your gift (attaching door sweepers and putting up blinds may be difficult for families without the resources or tools). Your gift will ensure that a family in your community will have a much warmer Christmas before any gifts are ever received.