Share the joy and abundance of the holiday with those who could use it most.
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Parades, football, and Aunt Dolly’s sweet potatoes aside, Thanksgiving is about gratitude — giving thanks for a bountiful harvest, the feast on the table, health and happiness, and the friends and family that surround us. What better way to express your thanks than to pay that joy and abundance forward? In addition to sporting your Completely Blessed Charm Bangle (which benefits Blessings in a Backpack, a program that feeds hungry children), try these other ways to light up someone’s life this season:
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Expand your Thanksgiving guest list. As a holiday centered around sharing a communal meal, Thanksgiving just shouldn’t be spent alone. Check in with coworkers and neighbors to make sure they’ve got a place to go on Thursday. Stepping out of your comfort zone and extending an invitation to an acquaintance can make the day more meaningful for both of you.
Take a volunteer shift. There are so many wonderful ways to volunteer in the days leading up to Thanksgiving — and throughout the holiday season. Spend some time working at a local soup kitchen, help deliver Thanksgiving Day meals to those with limited mobility through programs like Meals on Wheels, or ask a local senior care center about volunteer opportunities. Whether you help decorate and make crafts or simply visit with residents, you’ll bring cheer to those who might be yearning for company this time of year.
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Donate groceries. Local food banks are especially busy this time of year, doing their best to help families put a holiday meal on the table. Keep an eye out for “Turkey Drives” leading up to the holiday or check in with your local food bank to inquire what dried and canned goods or traditional Thanksgiving Day supplies they need most. If you can, keep the generosity going throughout winter to help keep bellies full even after the holiday glow has subsided.
Give back to those who give so much. The holidays are particularly tough for troops deployed around the world and their families left behind at home, as well as veterans of the U.S. military who have returned but are struggling. Wear your appreciation, as a reminder to yourself and others, by adding a charm bangle or two from our redesigned Armed Forces Collection to your stack. Then say thank you for their service and sacrifice by working with these organizations and programs (to name just a few): Soldiers’ Angels, the Armed Services YMCA “Operation Holiday Joy,” and Operation Homefront’s “Holiday Meals” program.
Written by Erin Lindholm
