Festive joy: offer a gift of Christmas Kindness today

Festive joy; offer a gift of Christmas kindness today

Christmas is the time for giving and sharing and there is nothing quite like the pleasure of watching your family unwrap the presents you carefully prepared for them, but as for shopping...sheer bliss! Everyone in high spirits, traditional music floating in your ears as you try to find that perfect gift for your mum or dad, brother, baby sister, aunt, niece...the list goes on.

But what about the people who don’t have family close by? How about the elderly? How do they cope at Christmas? And what of the homeless? What is the festive occasion really like for them?

Statistics and research indicates that Christmas can be a very lonely time for some people as they prepare for a day on the streets again or all on their own without the love and kindness that we so often take for granted.

Would you like to help vulnerable, old or lonely people at Christmas? There are several organisations whose mission is to do just that. Have a look at www.crisis.org.uk, www.caringatchristmas.org.uk and www1.salvationarmy.org.uk to get some ideas as to how to ease the burden for so many people at this festive time. Do you like the idea of taking food to the homeless? Perhaps entertaining the elderly? Maybe you could talk to your friends and all come up with an idea as to how to make Christmas a happy time for vulnerable people.

If you are the crafty type, creating your own Christmas cards is a great way to make someone feel special at Christmas as it really shows effort and consideration. Why not gather some glitter and foil, a few stars and ribbon and make an extra unique one for an elderly person this Christmas?

If you are creative and have a love of words, what about making up your very own Christmas poem to raise a smile for a homeless charity?

A Christmas Dream

He visits the dreams of the young not old

Travelling the starry skies

A very jolly man the tale is told

Who eats too many mince pies

Squeezing down the chimney in eager pursuit

To deliver gifts galore

Leaving many a present that will only suit

A child who doesn’t want more

A reindeer or two, a sleigh so bright

A home he won’t leave out

Stealing through the Christmas Eve night

No one knows that he’s about

But I know he comes and I know it’s true

Others to believe is so hard

He left me a gift that no one else knew

A reindeer in my own back yard!

On the theme of creativity why not compose your very own festive CD? You could download from the internet your own compilation for some deserving people that you have in mind and use your artistic skills to make a stunning album cover...

Making a special hamper needn’t cost a fortune if you would like to take one to a person who is all alone this Christmas. This is such a personal gift, they will know you have put real thought into it. You could take a small box and wrap it in Christmas paper. Consider decorating it with tinsel and place small Christmas crackers, mince pies, nuts and even a small festive calendar inside to make it really Christmassy.

Whatever you decide to do this Christmas to make someone feel special, you will be rewarded by knowing you have contributed to making them feel a little less lonely knowing that someone cares. Just that alone will make the traditional saying of peace and goodwill to all that much meaningful for you...

Merry Christmas!