Christmas Outreach for your Family

God so loved the world that He gave… He didn’t give in the most elaborate and extravagant way, but in a lowly simple setting of a manger and a stable. Often we want the attention and highlight for big ways of giving, yet like Christ, the big impact came in due time. Helping people less fortunate can happen in the same way.

Image by Norm & Debra via Flickr

Before opening gifts in our family Christmas morning we always read the story of Christ’s birth and share how God gave us the greatest gift of all in Jesus. Another friend of mine saves gifts for birthdays but for Christmas they give gifts to the less fortunate. If your family is looking for a different approach to Christmas celebrations, perhaps you’ll find an idea or two that suits your family and community dynamic.

Operation Kid to Kid
Each year an item and a country is chosen by Group Publishing and used to mobilize gifts for whole communities. The gifts are chosen to provide the children’s need. Operation Kid to Kid is tied into a VBS program it is not limited to that tool in order to utilize it to reach kids through the one chosen item for the year’s project like blankets, balls, bags or stuffed animals. You can see pictures and project ideas at Operation Kid2Kid.

Christmas Shoe Box Project
This is an easy way to get kids to provide toys, clothing items, games to children all over India, Africa and Philippines. Kids choose what goes into the box. Learn more on their website.

Other well-known organizations that have a plethora of outreach options such as Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision, Compassion International are also a great place to start with your family outreach this year.

Your family doesn’t need to go through an organization like mentioned above, there are simple ways you and your church can reach the needs of people in your community. Think of the people in your community who don’t get a lot of attention as a place to start with your family Christmas project. Kids in orphanages or in hospitals, elderly in homes and families in homeless shelters are often overlooked in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season.

There are a variety of ways your family can give. Have kids make cards and deliver them to those home bound. Help your kids learn some Christmas songs and sing them at various locations. Consider allowing your kids to go to the dollar store and choose toys to give away. Even if you can’t give the gifts or cards directly you can ask for pictures or stories so your children see the effect of their giving. Secretly sponsor a family in your community so that instead of buying gifts for your family members, they buy gifts for the other family to be opened at Christmas.

Regardless of your family traditions while you celebrates Christmas, this year might be a great year to start a new tradition of giving to the less fortunate.