The holidays are supposed to be a happy time, but they are often a depressing burden for many elderly, due to the loss of a spouse or separation from loved ones. Encourage your kids to make a difference with simple activities. Have them make holiday cards for the elderly at a nearby retirement home. Better yet, bake cookies with your kids and deliver them to the retirement home in person. The visit will brighten the day of retirement home residents when you tell them you're their neighbors and you care. Introduce yourselves and sing a few holiday songs to lift their spirits.
Not everyone has a hot, delicious meal every night. Your kids may not realize this. Explain to them that some people don't have the money to eat every day. Encourage them to start a canned food drive at school or in the neighborhood. Inspire them to use their own savings to buy non-perishable food items to donate to a local food bank. If your kids are old enough, volunteer with them to serve dinner at a local soup kitchen to open their eyes.
You can implement seeds of kindness activities at home with a system of good behavior bucks. Explain to your kids that every time they do something nice for someone in the family or neighborhood, they'll earn a good behavior buck, a paper dollar that you can design similar to board game money. When the kids earn a certain amount of good behavior bucks, cash them in for real prizes. Maybe 25 bucks will earn a pizza or 50 bucks will earn a visit to the movies. You set the prices and prizes and watch your kids go out of their way to make a difference in other people's lives.
Teach your children about the gift of giving rather than receiving by taking part in an adopt-a-family holiday program. This is where you are assigned gifts to buy for a less fortunate family. You'll receive the ages of the children in the family and their gift wishes. Some requests are so simple, such as a toothbrush, that they'll have your kids asking why. That's the perfect opportunity to explain to your kids that not everyone is as fortunate as you are. Encourage your kids to spend the year before the holidays contributing to a gift fund for a family. Offer to make a matching contribution for every penny they donate to the fund. When the holidays approach, take the kids shopping to pick out gifts for the family you've adopted. The experience will make them all the more appreciative when they open their own presents.