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Most Christian traditions recognize the time just before Christmas as its own season called Advent. But you don’t have to be a Christian—or a member of any faith—to believe that the month before the beginning of a new year might be a good time to focus on things that matter, things like caring for, and celebrating our connections with, our families, our wider community, and even nature.
Each of the activities I mention here is good in and of itself, a fine way to spend some time during the coldest part of the year. But if you’ll also try them with a mindset that you’re laying the groundwork for a happier and more rewarding life in 2011, you may find these experiences and adventures even more rewarding. (If you do, please send me a note and let me know!)
Day 1: Send a card to a member of our Armed Services. Try to do it by the end of this week: A card postmarked by December 10th will be sent by the American Red Cross to armed service members all over the world in time for Christmas. Anyone can send a card and you can send as many as you’d like! Please send all cards to:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
PO Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD
20791-5456
Day 2: Go to the library and check out children’s Christmas classics. Here are some of our favorites: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Dr. Seuss), Olivia Helps with Christmas (Ian Falconer), Olive, the Other Reindeer (J. Otto Seibold), The Polar Express (Chris Van Allsburg), Night Tree (Eve Bunting)
Day 3: Make an advent wreath. Take a wreath form and dig out 4 holes for candles. Decorate with greenery and holly berries. Light one candle for each of the 4 Sundays before Christmas. Light a candle in the center of the wreath on Christmas Day.
Again, though, you don’t necessarily have to associate the wreath with Christmas. Many different traditions make use of evergreens during the winter season, and you can use the four candles on the wreath to mark the four weeks leading up to the new year.
Day 4: Rake leaves for an elderly or shut-in neighbor.
Day 5: Watch a holiday movie together. Here are some of our favorites: It’s a Wonderful Life, Christmas in Connecticut, White Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, Charlie Brown Christmas, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, The Bishop’s Wife (with Cary Grant), A Christmas Carol (with George C. Scott).
Day 6: Take a drive and scout out the best holiday lights in town.
Day 7: Make homemade ornaments. (Christmas Ornaments Kids Can Make by Kathy Ross is a great resource that we found in our local library. The crafts are simple to make and use items you probably have in your house like construction paper and cotton balls.)
Day 8: Make paper snowflakes to hang in the windows.
Day 9: If you have a child, take some of their artwork (always abundant!) and bring it to seniors in a nursing home.
Day 10: Collect non-perishable food and take to your local food bank.
Day 11: Volunteer at a local homeless shelter, or other organization that allows you to make a short-term commitment (like your local food bank, for instance, which probably needs help sorting and distributing food).
Day 12: Check out Heifer International’s website and choose a farm animal you’d like to donate to a family in need. You can also give a donation in someone’s honor, and the picture book Beatrice’s Goat, about how a Heifer goat changed the life of an African girl, makes a big impression, and would be a great companion gift along with the donation.
Day 13: Write a real letter (as opposed to a family newsletter) to someone you miss.
Day 14: Invite friends over for party. (Email me if you want tips for making a party easy and fun.)
Day 15: Make gingerbread men cookies and decorate. (If you’re short on time, Wilton makes a nice kit with pre-made cookies.)
Day 16: Make giant mugs of hot chocolate with lots of mini-marshmallows and sip, sip, sip.
Day 17: Fulfill the holiday wish of a child who isn’t yours. (Organizations like the Y often identify kids and their requests.)
Day 18: Invite some friends for Christmas caroling in your neighborhood. Or stay at home and play charades, with a new “holiday songs” category. Here are some of our favorites: Five Pound Box of Money (Pearl Bailey), Jingle Bells (Clancy Brothers), Santa Baby (Eartha Kitt), Mele Kaliki Maka (Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters), Santa Claus is Back in Town (Elvis), Cool Yule (Louis Armstrong), Merry Christmas – I Love You (James Brown)
Day 19: Light a fire (or candles) and share your favorite holiday memories.
Day 20: Take pinecones, smear them with peanut butter, sprinkle them with seeds, and leave them outside for your feathered friends.
Day 21: Buy a package of new socks and give them to a homeless shelter.
Day 22: Bring cookies or just visit with elderly neighbors.
Day 23: Watch It’s a Wonderful Life and wrap presents.
Day 24: Open one present and have a pajama party, but don’t stay up too late!
Day 25: Delicious food is each winter holiday’s gift. Enjoy potato latkes, Christmas pudding, sugar plums, eggnog, wassail…and, yes, even fruitcake. (I have a recipe for a truly wonderful fruitcake my husband asks for every year – I’m happy to share the recipe if you’d like to try it!)
So these are the ways I’m looking for – and finding – more joyful connection this holiday season. What are yours? Please share in the comments!
