Sharing Your Holiday Spirit at Christmas

Christmas is a holiday that is more than just one day on the calendar. It is an entire season that is marked by celebrations with family, friends and other people in your community. With so many festive parties, traditional religious services and just running around, it can be easy to lose track of the real spirit behind the holiday.

This is a holiday about coming together and sharing warmth, positivity and love with the people in your life. We often show our holiday spirit by giving material gifts, but don’t let a small budget hold back a generous heart. There is always a way to share your gifts with the people you love. Don’t simply focus on gifts that fit in a wrapped box. Give your time and attention to show that you care.

Many times Christmas is a time that we hold tightly to tradition. These traditions give us a tie to the past and serve as a way to connect with people that we don’t always see that often. You may not have much in common in your day-to-day life, but you can come together as you reminisce over shared holidays in the past. However, don’t be afraid to branch out and incorporate new traditions as your family grows and changes over the years.

Whether your family includes many blood relatives or a few close friends of your choosing, see if any of these festive ways help inspire you to share your holiday spirit during the Christmas season.

Holiday Open House—Get to know your neighbors during an Open House party. Ask people to bring their favorite holiday dish to share. This party can be as simple or elaborate as you wish.

Burn a Yule Log—Enjoy a cozy night with your family, friends or special someone as you burn a traditional Yule log. Be sure to serve up your favorite beverage and have some marshmallows on hand for toasting.

Holiday Party for a Cause—While many enjoy the holidays with a light heart, it is also time when we focus on people in need. Host a holiday party and ask everyone bring a donation to a specific charity. This is a great way to celebrate with friends, educate people about a worthy cause and be a part of making a difference.

Make the Best of What’s Given to You—Instead of examining each branch of a tree, just spend less than five minutes picking out a tree. Bonus points if you pick one that’s still wrapped up. It’ll be a great surprise to find out what you get and is a great reminder that you can make something beautiful out of the unexpected—imperfections and all.

Attend a Religious Service—Your chosen house of worship is the ideal place to find meaningful ways to share the holiday spirit. Whether you attend Christmas Eve mass with your family or sing in the holiday choir, this is the ideal way to celebrate the season with your religious community.

Play Santa—Pay it forward (or back as the case may be) and give a gift to the person behind you in line. Add a few dollars to your next total and let the people behind you in line enjoy a free cup of coffee or trip through the toll. This will cause a moment of delight when they realize that someone is thinking of them without asking for anything in return.

Not only is Christmas a time for sharing and giving, it is a time when we graciously accept the gifts of others. Accept what they can offer with an open heart and that in turn becomes a gift all on its own.