- Reflect. Have a family discussion about what everyone is thankful for this year. The Box Girls Thanksgiving Box of Questions provides great conversation starters.
- Experience diversity. Incorporate other cultural and religious customs into your holiday celebrations. Find ideas from the National Geographic Holidays Around the World book series.
- Volunteer. Assist at a soup kitchen, children’s hospital or animal shelter. Search for family-friendly volunteer locations at www.thevolunteerfamily.org. Get a state listing of soup kitchens from 4homeless.hypermart.net/soup_kitchens.html. Find animal shelters on www.petfinders.com.
- Pick a family cause. Collect loose change and allowance money and donate it together.
- Give gifts that count 1. Instead of material items, give charitable donations in the names of friends, family, teachers and coaches. Visit www.justgive.org and search 1,000,000 worthy organizations.
- Give gifts that count 2. Buy fair trade and ethically-sourced products from retailers such as World of Good, Trade as One and Ten Thousand Villages. Find a complete listing at www.fairtradefederation.org.
- Share. Contribute new or gently used clothes and toys to the Salvation Army, Goodwill, toy drives or families in need.
- Spread joy. Ask your child’s teacher to have students create handmade greeting cards. Then deliver them to a local senior citizen’s home.
- Spread love. Compose a poem, song or testimonial telling someone that they’re special. Create an eco keepsake: write it on recycled paper and put it in a reclaimed wood frame.
- Spend family time. Cook together, talk with the TV off or just get on the floor and play. Find meaningful family activities specific for the holiday season at www.freedomsfeast.us.
- Care for the earth. Conserve wrapping paper, reuse ribbons and bows, buy “green” whenever possible and send e-cards or recycled paper greetings.
- Celebrate your family, and appreciate the gift that they are.
