What do you do for charities around christmas time?

[Lifeisshort123]

I was wondering what other do to teach their children about helping those in need over the christmas period?
We always do christmas shoeboxes as I have had the opportunity to hand deliver these boxes and its a very personal thing for me, I also let each of my kids pick out an item of food for our local food bank of there choice as long as it was on the list. I was thinking of doing the shoeboxes and something else apart from letting the kids pick something for our local food bank.
I know its only september but christmas will be here before we know it!

[SabineUndine]

I donate books for children to a charity collection - they are packaged up and give to homeless children.

[WindInThePussyWillows]

Last year my sister and I bought a load of kfc big buckets around town on Christmas Eve and delivered them to groups of the homeless. It wasn't a lot but it's what we could afford.

[Lifeisshort123]

That a nice idea, we have a few extra books lying around, do you know what the organisation was called?

[Lifeisshort123]

Hmm, similar sort of thing to giving to a food bank. I suppose if we did something like that the kids could see face to face who they were helping. Every little helps you would have made so many people's day though just by a simple act of kindness.

[FontSnob]

Last year we donated to Shelter to pay for a Christmas meal and haircut/doctors check up for a homeless person. Will do it again this year too.

[SabineUndine]

I thought Christmas shoeboxes was a nice idea but I googled and came up with this humanism.org.uk/humanism/humanism-today/humanists-doing/good-causes-and-charities/samaritans-purse/ which gives me pause for thought. But you know if you contact your local social services dept they will be able to suggest charities near you, or may even do Christmas collections themselves.

[harderandharder2breathe]

I've seen a reverse advent calendar thing on fb where you put an item in a box every day and then take it to the food bank on Christmas eve

[CMOTDibbler]

We do something every week in December. Ds and I go for a special shop for the foodbank, taking their list of what they need - I check and see if any of the shops are doing something like matched donations. We give to a collection to make christmas hampers locally, so again we get a list and shop for that.
This year, we'll take some small gifts to the care home (stored up through the year) in town as many elderly won't get anything and we make things to give to a charity raffle of homemade food hampers.
Oh, and a prechristmas clear out of books/toys/clothes to go to the charity shop.

[steff13]

We donate to a local food pantry, they let us bring the food in and will even let the kids stay and help stock shelves. At Christmas, I ring bells for the Salvation Army, and we all volunteer with their adopt-a-family program, taking applications, distributing gifts, etc.

[dizzygirl1]

We tend to do shoeboxes and last year actually had some 'spare' cash so we did a big shop for the food bank. Definitely involve the kids too :)

[maras2]

Nothing different really.We donate a tithe (10%) of our income which is now our pension to our nominated charities.Always have.

[Lifeisshort123]

I've hand delivered these boxes and we didn't feel it was appropriate to deliver any religious materials and the boxes were given out with no strings attached. It's something we do personally and feel strongly about but clearly you are allowed to have your own view on the charity.

[Lifeisshort123]

Same as us then

[Lifeisshort123]

I think my 14yr old would enjoy helping out during the Christmas period!
Will look into it thanks for the suggestion!

[lilydaisyrose]

I love this charity. Social Bite sandwich shop - staffed by homeless people - buy a homeless person a Christmas dinner for £5:-

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-30597009

[Lifeisshort123]

Good idea, may be a little pricy for a mum of 5 kids around Christmas time but I'm sure If we have a £20 allowance or something it could work out. I'm sure the kids could take it in turn to pick an item out ect.

[Oysterbabe]

Yeah I'm aware that's the party line but you only have to look at their YouTube to see countless videos of them crowing about the kids they've converted.

[Lifeisshort123]

We've just given lots of baby toys as my youngest is now 4, kids clothes and ride ons which my youngest two are now to big for to a charity shop called Just4Kids which is in Surrey so not to near us but we were visiting famliy and we have the bags of things in the car just sitting there so it seemed silly not to. I'm sure we can find a few extra things to donate around Christmas time to a charity shop a little closer to us.

[Tabsicle]

I avoid the Salvation Army - Not comfortable with their stance on gay rights in particular. I tend to just give a large lump sum to a particular charity who I know can use that as part of their programme and enact long lasting change. And I buy charity Christmas cards. Bit boring, I know.

[minnymoobear]

Check out the yes brigade - tony Robbins group

[FrazzleM]

Christmas time is so busy. Probably don't do enough.

I give a lump sum to a different charity every year, but that's just me. Kids do a shoebox each.

I give small amounts monthly to charities, but again that's just me.

Could definitely do more involving the kids. Maybe collect spare coins in a jar for a charity. Also like the idea of presents for the nursing home.

Actually, now that I think about it, our local radio does a big drive at Christmas to donate new gifts to kids that would otherwise get nothing. Closing date is in Nov. though! Difficult involving kids and having to explain that Santa doesn't come to everyone

[Lifeisshort123]

What a lovely idea, maybe this year we can do the shoeboxes which we've already nearly finished, the 25 day food bank thing that someone suggested and perhaps this too. I can't imagine how it would feel to be homeless and then get a lovely warm Christmas dinner :)

[Bumpmadethemjump]

I did a box for a homeless center last year, they ask for supplies such as bathing things, old coats or jumpers, sanitary products, any food supplies and also asked if people would donate 1 small gift so each person at the homeless centre could have something to open on Christmas. I'll most likely do the same this year and a few shoeboxes for less fortunate children.

[Bumpmadethemjump]

Do schools still do the shoebox donations? My only dc is just about to start school so wasn't sure if they still did them. I was too late to do one last year through the church unfortunately.