It’s the holiday season! People of all ages give each other gifts and reach out to show appreciation, gratitude, and compassion for others. Let’s face it, giving makes us happy! A recent article in Time explains how researches find that the being generous can make people happier. Giving gifts of hope on and offline can definitely make us happy too!
In addition to presents wrapped in bright holiday wrappings, there are the intangible gifts of hope. Gifts of hope are those truly meaningful gifts that can be given anonymously, can change a life, can create an impact, and can help provide for others. Gifts of hope are ways of giving differently, and no one is too young to give them.
Parents, we’ve compiled a list of ideas for gifts of hope for you and your children to consider.
Offline gifts:
Take cookies or notes of thanks to first responders.
Donate food to your local food bank.
Donate new or lightly used toys to local toy drives.
Create family giving boxes and mail them to troops overseas.
Cook and serve a meal to a family in need.
Go caroling or make gifts to take to a local nursing home.
Help serve meals at a homeless shelter.
Online gifts:
With parental permission, email or text holiday messages to family members.
Teach someone how to become a responsible digital citizen.
Video chat with family members – sing songs, tell stories, read a book together.
Send thank you notes on email or text.
Post online compliments to someone.
The biggest gift of hope is to be kind on and offline. You never know whose life might be touched with a word of encouragement or a simple smile. Don’t limit these gifts to the holiday season; distribute them throughout the whole year! Digital Citizen Academy has created a comprehensive Home Program that is a great online gift to give to any member of the family this year!
