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Special Ways to Serve as a Family This Holiday Season
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- Updated Dec 15, 2023
With some time off from school and holiday cheer, this is a wonderful moment to find ways to bless others as a family. Whether you’re parents of college students, toddlers, or grown adult children, these are activities you can do together to help other people. Today we will look at some special ways to serve as a family this holiday season.
1. Special Encouragement to Nursing Homes and Assisted Living
Due to COVID, elderly people have been extra isolated to keep them safe. Many times, people will carol at Christmas time for those living at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Since we are given new challenges to get to those living in these places, we need to be creative to reach them. As a family, consider the ways you can love on these people.
Draw pictures and write cards to be delivered to the residents. Consider bundling up and loudly caroling outside the windows of the rooms. Maybe sponsor a holiday meal for the residents to enjoy. You could give a phone call to each room as a family and sing a Christmas carol through the phone for each resident. Create a plan together and pray that the Lord will use your efforts to show His great love to those in these places.
1 Timothy 5:1-2 says, “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers; older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity."
2. Coat Collections
As winter approaches, there are many on the streets who are about to be cold. Consider doing a coat collection. You could make a small flyer both physically and virtually. This could be advertised to your children’s classmates and given to your co-workers. After you have received the coats by the deadline, you can go out as a family and distribute them to individuals or a local ministry that distributes coats. Helping others to stay warm is a significant ministry this time of the year.
Luke 6:29-30 says, “To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.”
3. Feed a Family and/or Give Christmas Gifts
As a family, you can go shopping for a family in town who has needs. Contact your local church to see who is in need within your own congregation, or get connected to a local ministry who can provide names and an address. Purchase groceries and Christmas gifts for them to meet their needs, and even a few wants such as toys for the kids. Go as a family to drop off the gifts together and spend time praying over the family you are helping. Remember that these are real people and to treat them like you would a friend. Who knows, you might become great friends by meeting.
Isaiah 58:10 says, “If you give some of your own food to those who are hungry and to satisfy those who are humble, then your light will rise in the dark, and your darkness will become as bright as the noonday sun.”
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/AaronAmat
4. Give Gifts to Children’s Hospitals
Hospitals are hard places for anyone, but especially kids. Get connected with a children’s hospital nearby and provide gifts for them such as coloring books, puzzles, stuffed animals, and include children’s storybook Bibles. Put together little gifts for each room at the hospital. Include a card written to the parents and family of this child. Make sure to share Scripture and even a written prayer for them since you will not be able to go in person.
Mark 10:14 says, “When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’”
5. Love Your Neighbor
There are so many places where the Bible emphasizes loving the people around you. As a family, think about the people that God has intentionally placed around where you live in your neighborhood. Brainstorm as a group how you want to bless them this holiday season. Maybe you want to deliver pies, written notes, or poinsettias? When you deliver the gifts to your neighbors, spend time getting to know them better and if the moment is right, pray over them right there. Regardless, be keeping them in your prayers before and after you stop by.
Mark 12:31 says, “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
6. Free Babysitting
I do not know a married couple or single parent who would not benefit from a night out. Think as a family on who you could offer to babysit for, and offer them a free night out. They can either shop for Christmas or just spend time together on a date. This is a more out-of-the-box way to give back, but can be a huge blessing to their relationship by giving them the gift of time. You could go to their house or have multiple families drop kids off at your home.
Hebrews 13:16 says, “Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices.”
7. Holiday Workers
Many times, those who work in the medical field, postal service, restaurant business, and many others have to work on holidays. It is an amazing act of kindness to take notice and recognition of them. Find a way to treat those who are giving up their holidays. Whether that be by dropping off desserts on the day of, or writing thank you cards, think as a family what you can do to help.
Proverbs 11:25 says, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
However you feel led to bless others this season, may it be an act of worship to the Lord.
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Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Natalie_
