Mitchell & Nemitz, PA

Capture the spirit of the holidays

We are a generation past the hardships of the dust bowl and the Great Depression. And we are a generation well into an economy based upon consumption. And in this environment, Santa presents an interesting paradox.

From kids' perspectives, it is about magic and the joy of receiving the unexpected. From Santa’s perspective, it is all about selfless giving. In light of the vast increases in the cost for just about everything, this could be the year you decide to view the holidays from the perspective of Santa.

Here are some ideas to help capture the spirit of giving:

• Give the gift of time. Spend an afternoon with someone you never seem to have the time to see. It could be a neighbor, a parent, an adult child, a grandparent, or a friend. Challenge your kids to give you a non-monetary gift, like a coupon book of chores.

• Make something. Make something instead of buying it. Perhaps it's a meal, a drawing, or a useful object around the house. There are numerous ideas online and you DO NOT have to be a creative genius, just a willingness to be creative.

• Give the gift of fulfilling an unwanted chore. Offer babysitting for a night out to a young couple. Do the dishes, shovel the walk, or offer to mow the lawn. There are so many unwanted chores, that a creative gift here will be much appreciated.

• Commit to a gift that goes unnoticed. During the holiday season, quietly go about making things better for someone else without them knowing about it. Shoveling a neighbor’s sidewalk, rolling down a trash bin to the curb, gathering a morning paper and placing it by the front door, or picking up the garbage every day in front of a store are all examples that are easy to do.

• Pay it forward. Find opportunities to help someone else with a little surprise gift. Have your kids BRING a gift to help Santa while they visit him. Pay for your meal at a drive through restaurant, and then pay the meal of the car behind you. Do the same thing at a restaurant when you see someone out for a special occasion.

• Provide a smile to someone who needs it. Try to make a person smile every day during the holiday season. Then challenge yourself to do this with a person you do not know, or barely know.

Giving during the holiday season doesn't need to break the bank. It's up to all of us to reconnect the season to something that could be a lot more meaningful. Enjoy your holiday season!