Want a Feel-Good Holiday Party? Add a Touch of Charity!

Would you like to have a great holiday party that has an overall "feel good" type of feeling? Why not consider inviting your guests to make some type of donation to a charitable organization. There are so many organizations in need, especially during the holiday time. People are very generous during the holidays, and many are looking for a way to give to their communities. This can be a wonderful way to have a great time with your friends, family and loved ones - but also to help those who are less fortunate in your community.

Begin by mentioning the charity and the idea of making a donation at the party in the invitation so that guests are aware of the idea. Include two or three sentences about the organization, and consider giving a website address so that your guests can check out the organization ahead of time if they wish to.

It is important if you add an element of charity to your party, to make this something that people feel comfortable participating in at the level they are able to. Some people may be able to make a very generous contribution this year and other people may not. You do not want to have your party guests feel like they cannot be comfortable at your party if they cannot contribute to the holiday charity drive. So structure this part of the evening so that items - such as toys or canned goods or a coat drive - are piled all together so it is discreet and no one has any idea who has brought any particular item. If you are asking for checks, put them in an envelope and collect them as people come in, or at the end of the evening as people leave. A very nice touch at a holiday charity party is to give your guests some little thank you gift, such as a holiday CD of great songs, or a scented candle or some home-baked goodies. Just something to say thank you.

It is great to have some information about the charity at the party so that your guests know exactly where their donation is going. I know I have mentioned including it in the invitation, but reinforcing it at the party is very helpful, and it may inspire some of your guests to make another donation at a later time if they see what a great organization it is. Some charity organizations have "big names" and many people may have a general idea of what they do, but it is still helpful to provide some information from the organization to show how that organization gives out its donations, how they spend donated money and what they do in your community. Any charitable organization that you are getting donations for should be happy to send you some brochures or other information if you call and tell them that you are having a holiday party and asking people to make a contribution.

Also remember to send out a thank you note after the party to let everyone know how much the holiday party was able to raise (such as "thank you, because of your efforts, the holiday party donated 75 toys to the local toy drive this year"). Make people feel good about their donation and like they have made a real contribution to something.

Here are ideas of ways you could add a charity donation to your holiday party in a simple way:

Participate in a toy drive. This is a very popular thing for many individuals and families to do during the holidays. One of the most well-known toy drives is Toys for Tots www.toysfortots.org. There are also certainly other organizations in your community that are looking for toys to be donated, a good way to find toy drives is to call your local United Way office. Another way to find toy drives is also to look at Volunteer Match www.volunteermatch.org.

Participate in a coat or winter clothing drive. This is another great way to help those in need, and there are many organizations, especially those that serve the homeless, that do coat drives in the winter time. Again a great way to find an organization is to call your local United Way office. Or you can also consider donating coats to your local Salvation Army, Goodwill, or other thrift shop.

Donate canned or pre-packaged foods to a food drive. Many organizations are overwhelmed with food donations during Thanksgiving, but remember that hungry people are hungry fifty-two weeks of the year. They would be most grateful for a food donation during the month of December. Call your local soup kitchens or homeless shelters to see how you could get involved, or again, call your local United Way office for information about organizations in your area that could be in need of your help during this time.

One thing charities always need in any form: money. You can always ask your guests to consider writing a check to the charity, perhaps instead of giving you a gift this holiday season. Some families have made this a tradition, including my own. In our family we now exchange animals from Heifer International www.heifer.org. Your donation at Heifer International can go towards a duck or geese or a goat or some other animal that will help families that farm for a living and this will help sustain them. Making a charitable contribution can be convenient for many people because it is less stressful and hassle-free, you don't have to go to a toy store to pick up a toy, or shop for canned goods - you just write a check.

Whatever type of charity contribution you decide to add to your holiday party, know that what you do will make someone's holiday a bit brighter, and may impact their life long after the holiday season.