What do you think of when you think of the holidays?
Cozy nights with holiday movies and eggnog, decorating the Christmas tree, being with your family, opening presents on Christmas morning, stuffing yourself full of turkey and desserts.
This season isn’t always joyful for everyone.
The holidays can be a really difficult time for a lot of people, and at CLV Group and InterRent, we try and do our part to give back throughout the year and during the holidays specifically by participating in things like the Week Of Giving.
If you’re looking to give back this season, we have you covered. We have come up with some easy, low commitment ways to give back spread some joy this holiday season.
Donate Items You Don’t Need To A Shelter
Get a head start on your Spring cleaning this year by going through your closet and donating items you might not need.
Organizations like The Snowsuit Fund, The Ottawa Mission, Shepherds Of Good Hope and your local shelter all accept gently used seasonal items which are urgently needed during the winter season.
Some places also accept gently used houseware items such as sheet sets, plates, cutlery and more! You can check with your local shelter for guidelines.
If you want to take it further, reach out to friends, family or colleagues and see if you can collect items from them. That old forgotten winter coat in your closet could keep someone very warm this season.
Organize A Food Drive
Whether it’s at work, school or home, setting up a food drive in support of a local food bank, like The Ottawa Food Bank is a great way to help people in need.
You can not only donate canned goods you may already have laying around, but also baby food and diapers. Setting up a small food drive is as easy as setting up a box in a common area and letting your peers know about what you’re trying to accomplish.
You can learn more about what to donate here and pick up a free food donation box from The Ottawa Food Bank if you need one. Remember, every little bit helps!
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Offer Something Small To Someone In Need
One of the easiest ways to put a smile on someone’s face is unexpected kindness.
The streets are a tough place to be during the holiday season. If you live in a city, you probably see people living in the streets on a regular basis. Carry around an extra granola bar and a bottle of water, next time you see someone in need, offer it to them. If you’re getting a coffee, ask for a cup of water, at places like Starbucks, it’s totally free.
A lot of us don’t know how to interact with people in those situations. Many of us avoid interaction at all – but a little bit of kindness in the form of something small like a quick snack gives hope to someone who might be in a tough situation.
Make Someone’s Day!
Making someone’s day is one of the easiest ways to spread joy this holiday season. So how do you do it?
Something as small as offering to shovel a neighbour’s driveway, buying coffee for the person behind you in the drive-thru, complimenting a stranger or letting someone in front of you in traffic are all ways you can show some simple kindness and make someone’s day better.
This is not always the first thing people think of when they hear “giving back” but it really is one of the easiest ways to give back in your daily life.
There are so many great ways to make someone’s day – why not try and do some during the most wonderful time of the year?
Get Out There And Do Some Good!
It doesn’t matter how you choose to give back this holiday season, choosing to give back and making this season a little bit brighter for someone is the first step.
