The joy to be found in brightening the lives of others, becomes the true meaning of Christmas!
The season of joy is upon us. The days preceding Christmas are considered by many to be the most festive and joyous time of the year. If you look back at all your past holiday celebrations, I am quite certain that you will remember many times of great joy: receiving the exact gift you were hoping for, family dinners and get togethers, finding just the right gift for someone, eating your favorite Christmas cookies, Elf on the Shelf, Christmas decorations, beautiful snow, the glow of candles, the warmth of the fireplace, or gathering to sing carols. Sometimes I think we get so caught up in experiencing the joy of the season, that we forget that it is not a time to find joy, but rather to share joy with others
It’s important to remember that joy was the first Christmas gift. One of my favorite Christmas movie scenes is found in, A Charlie Brown Christmas when Charlie Brown asks, “Isn’t there anybody who can tell me what Christmas is all about? Linus responds “I can Charlie Brown!” He then takes the stage and quotes Luke 2:10-12, “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: For, behold, I bring you good tidings of GREAT JOY, which shall be to all people…” In sharing the news of Christ’s birth with the shepherds, the angel’s actions speak to the the true meaning of Christmas; sharing joy with others.
So our challenge this holiday season is not to find joy, but to share it with others; to bring joy into their lives. How? Here are four suggestions for sharing joy with complete strangers.
- Create a Christmas Jar: A Christmas Jar is a peanut butter jar, Mason jar or anything else you have to collect spare change each day. All coins are dedicated to the jar all year long, and during the week before Christmas you carefully select someone to give it to anonymously. Perhaps there is a neighbor who has lost their job, a struggling single mom, someone struggling with health problems or a friend who has simply fallen on hard times. Leave the jar on their porch, in their car or another secure location. Make sure to add a little note letting the person know that you care, and hope the gift brings a little more joy into their holiday.
- Share a Treat – Mail carriers and garbage men and women show up daily and weekly to make our lives run more smoothly. Given the holidays can be a time of intense work, colder weather, and shorter days, there’s perhaps no better time to show them a little love. Consider a handmade card, a home baked goodie, or a giftcard to a local coffee shop for a warm beverage and a pastry treat.
- Give Your Time and Skills – Identify an organization in your community that is always helping and serving others; step in and volunteer your skills. Small things can be huge and easy to do. People feel validated and loved when you give up your agenda and step up to help them with their agenda. Take a risk and offer your unique skills.
- Ring the Bell: Some say that the original crowdfunding activity occurred in 1900 in NYC. Sixteen year-old Salvation Army volunteer Amelia Kunkel was standing by her pot trying to collect money for the organization. She became so frustrated by the many bankers on Wall Street who walked by and ignored her, that she went to a nearby Woolworth’s department store, bought a small bell for ten cents, and the rest is history. Those bells and kettles now help fund projects supporting the less fortunate in 131 different countries, including 30 million Americans every year. Why not volunteer to ring the bell in your community this year?
We certainly want to share joy with those who are a part of our daily lives, but when we share the gift of joy with those whom we do not know, whose lives may not be as rich as our own, we are sharing a greater joy with all.