As the holiday season is approaching and everyone is getting prepared to see their family and friends, celebrate traditions and feel gratitude for this time of year, it’s important to remember the privilege all of this is. As not everyone is lucky enough to eat hot meals, sleep under warm blankets, be comforted by their loved ones or receive presents on their favorite holiday, it is our duty to make them feel cared for during such a special time. So here are several ways you can help others feel just a little bit happier during the holidays.
1. Angel Tree
A generous act you can do is find an Angel Tree in your area and buy gifts for children whose family are unable to give to them or help senior citizens in need. The Salvation Army created this program that helps hundreds of thousands of families each year and you can easily be a part of making someone’s wishes of seeing presents on their celebrated holiday come true. Some Angel Tree locations here in New York are at 15 Broad Street in Lower Manhattan and Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church.
2. Support Local Businesses
If you love shopping, this is the perfect idea for you. There are small and local businesses everywhere that would love to see new customers enjoy their hard work. Right here in Queens, there are countless fabulous cafes, retail stores, markets and more. Maybe along this experience you can discover your new favorite study or hangout spot.
3. Volunteer at Soup Kitchen/Shelter
A free and more personal option is volunteering at a Soup Kitchen to feed homeless individuals, low-income families, the elderly or others who may be facing food insecurity. These are run by organizations or churches and rely on donations from the community in order to serve a variety of hot meals to anyone who needs them. As many, if not most of us, will be going home after this semester to home cooked meals, it is equally important that others experience the same kind of love.
4. Visit a Nursing Home
This would make such a fun and loving experience where you can do activities with elders and possibly leave with exceptional life advice. Some elders don’t receive visits often or any at all, so being a random and kind stranger that takes care of them for a day or just a few hours would most likely mean a lot to them.
As joyful and exciting this time of year can be, not everyone has the same opportunities to enjoy “the most wonderful time of the year” as others do. Plenty of people are working longer hours or don’t have family or friends to spend the holiday with, so these are wonderful, generous things you can do that will surely leave a positive impact on someone’s holiday season. You never know how much your kindness means to others.