22 Ways to Bless Others (and Yourself!) This Christmas

 ...or go to a nursing home with lots of cookies for many shut-ins. Think about the times when you have been sick and stuck in the house for a few days. Remember the loneliness, restlessness, and agitation? Multiply that by 100 to get a feel for how someone that hasn’t left their house in months or years may feel. Encourage those that don’t have the everyday freedoms that you have.

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Be creative and put many things in each package. Granola bars, cheese and cracker packages, bottles of filtered water, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a spoon, a fork, napkins, tissues, hand sanitizer, moisturizing lotion, socks, deodorant, a note pad and pen, a book, etc. Think of items that just might give them a feeling of normalcy in their lives. 

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Leave something for the UPS guy and/or mailman along with a note that says that you appreciate all their hard work. If you go to your hairdresser and they are gobsmacked with extra holiday bookings, consider getting them something special too. The holidays can bring a huge volume to many businesses and this can feel like a burden to employees.

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Stop worrying over whether somebody will like their present. You can’t control what they think. You can only buy something that you think they will like. Most people will love the thought that is behind any gift.

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Remember that thoughtful gifts of the heart can mean more than simply spending money. A picture of a beloved memory in an inexpensive simple frame may be seen by the person every day well beyond Christmas.

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Pay attention to people that live alone and may not have plans for Christmas day. Consider inviting them to be a part of your celebration. Stress that you would really enjoy their company, so they don’t feel like you’re just offering them charity.

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Make a little time to go on Facebook on Christmas day. Of course, I don’t mean to spend all day staring at a screen instead of the people around you; just a little time to see if any of your online friends are having a difficult day. Sometimes people do reach out for help on social media. Pay attention. There are real people behind those posts.

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Count your blessings. Use the time at the end of the year to list everything you’re grateful for as well as any achievements that you reached in the past year. Don’t just see what you lack. Gratitude will bring contentment.

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Watch It’s a Wonderful Life on television with a loved one or two (or more). Then, tell each one how they have affected your life. Tell them about the treasured memories that you have about them. Remind people that everyone’s life is full of wonder and everyone is important to others.

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Write an email or letter to people that have affected your life in a positive way. You may not see them physically much anymore, but you can still appreciate all of the times that you were with them. A written letter that the person can save telling them how much they mean to you could impact them greatly. 

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Start a new tradition. Anything that you and your family enjoy doing together can become a new tradition—reading a book out loud, watching a beloved Christmas movie or show, fixing a specific meal, going out for breakfast, going to an ice skating rink, taking a walk in the park, a family football game in the yard, etc. It doesn’t matter if it’s a unique or commonplace activity—both can be fun.

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If you see someone else rushing around like a mad person, do one or two of their to-do list items for them so they can take a moment to sit and relax. They may not take you up on it, but your offering will likely mean a lot. Everybody needs a break and some help now and then.

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Pick up a book that you’re interested in and read it over the holiday break. Reading, in general, has a different effect on your brain than simply watching movies—it’s active. And reading stories helps you to see other people’s perspectives and leads to living more compassionately and openly.

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Think back at your past Christmas memories. Relish in the good ones and try to forget any bad ones. Not everyone has good memories at Christmastime. If you survived a bad situation, think about that survival instead of the memory itself. Then, meditate on ways that you can help someone in a similar situation.

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Pray for people around the world—the soldier that is far from home, the persecuted Christian that is simply trying to remember the details of the Christmas story because their Bible has been confiscated, the orphan that simply wants a mommy or a daddy, the refugee looking for a warm shelter to lay their head, and so on. There really are bigger problems than worrying about whether your turkey will come out moist.

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Read Luke Chapter 1 & 2 in its entirety and be blessed with the beginning of God’s redemption story. He came to earth to redeem you! That’s what Christmas is really all about!

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