ALT-1 Gifts from the Heart
When it comes to good gifting your gift really does not have to be one that arrives in a great big box all wrapped up in fancy glittery wrapping paper to be special. In fact, many of the most thoughtful caring gifts don't involve money at all, but are those where you give only from the heart.
There are some gifts which no amount of money can equal in value. Participate in a different form of good gifting this year and spend time instead of money to acquire your gifts. Some gifts really do come straight from the heart and these truly do.
As a person ages, and their health becomes more fragile, it gets more difficult to maintain an independent lifestyle. Your gift of time can be a very welcome gift.
Having someone help to mow the grass in the summer, shovel the snow in the winter, or help with heavy household cleaning chores can be a God send. Pension's can be extremely lean, and seniors may not always have the extra few dollars needed to pay someone to help with household cleaning, or yard chores. So a gift of your time can be the difference between this same senior maintaining his or her independent lifestyle and their moving into a Seniors care facility.
Other seniors who are already in care could use your gift too. They don't need you to do chores for them, but to instead alleviate their loneliness, they need you to give a gift of friendship to them. Days can be long and boring when you are confined to a restricted area. Many seniors spend their day anxiously waiting a visit from their family. Other do not have any friends or family left to visit them and so they spend their days alone.
Your gift to these seniors would be a simple one. If you play a musical instrument then volunteer to spend some time playing music for them. If you are good at a certain craft or skill then you could volunteer to teach them this art. You could read to someone who can no longer read for him or her self. You could walk with someone or simply talk with them. They just want something, or someone, to visit and break up the monotony of the day.
You could volunteer your time at a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter. There is always cooking or cleaning that needs to be done, someone who needs someone to talk to them, or errands to be run. Thrift stores need people to get the donated items onto the shelves, food banks need boxes packed, and food picked up from local stores. This gift of your time gives to so many and means so much for your community as a whole.
Do you know a single mom who could use an afternoon on her own. Babysitting her children for an hour or two every couple weeks can make a big difference to her quality of life. Dropping her off some home baked cookies, or a fully cooked supper once in awhile can be a gift of unbelievable enjoyment to her and her family. This simple gifts of your time mean so much to those who you give them to.
Have you stopped by your local animal shelter lately and seen those sad anxious faces watch you as you walk by their pen. They would love to go out to play, or even just for a walk, but there isn't always the volunteers needed to make sure that every pet gets to enjoy this type of quality day. Most shelters welcome volunteer who come in to walk dogs or just spend time brushing and petting the residents who live there. You could gift your time there.
There are so very many ways that you can give a gift of your time rather than money. Many seniors, disabled, and single individuals can use a helping hand to help them maintain their independence. Giving of yourself may be the greatest gift that you can give. This year spend some time, instead of money, and give a gift from the heart.
