8 Ways Families Can Give the Gift of Joy this Holiday Season

This post was sponsored by Johnson & Johnson as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

One of my children, who shall remain nameless, had a running wish list all year long. I got tired of hearing what is wanted, long before December rolled around.

We read books and watch movies about the true meaning of the holiday season. We’ve talked about the reason for the season.

What finally made the difference was actually having my kids make a difference. Looking for ways families can give the gift of joy during the holiday season, helps remind kids what it truly is all about.

8 Ways Families Can
Give the Gift of Joy

#1 Serve

Serve food at the local soup kitchen. Pick a night around the holiday, and serve a meal to those less fortunate. Seeing that some people don’t have a dining room table and kitchen counters overflowing with food during a holiday meal, can be eye-opening for children.

#2 Volunteer

Volunteer time as a family to a local organization or fundraiser. Maybe someone needs help wrapping all the gifts they received for donation, or a fundraising table needs occupied at a store.

#3 Donate

Let your children donate allowance. This is one of my son’s favorite ways to give during the holidays. He never hesitates to drop $5.00 in a donation bin while we are out shopping. The smile on his face when he asks if it is okay, it makes my heart swell.

#4 Adopt

Adopt a local family to surprise with a meal or gifts. Maybe you know a family who is down on their luck or recently faced a tragedy. Secretly arrange for presents or food to be delivered and provide some much needed joy.

#5 Bake

Take cookies around to all the neighbors, local fire departments, and police stations. Holiday treats aren’t just delicious, they also have the overwhelming ability to make you smile. Make up a few extra plates on baking day, and spend a day delivering them with the family. Maybe even take in some holiday lights when you are done!

#6 Gifts of Joy

Purchase a holiday gift from the Save the Children “Gifts of Joy” holiday catalog.  Last year, a friend shared on Facebook that his mother had given him one of the most awesome gifts he’d ever received. It was a goat. Not a goat he had to take care of, but a goat purchased in his name that would provide nourishment and money for school and medicine, for children who badly need it.

I think that’s a fabulous idea for people who have everything, or prefer not to get “stuff” for presents, but rather something meaningful. What’s even more amazing is that when you purchase gifts from the catalog, Johnson & Johnson matches each donation (up to $450,000) to help support basic health and hygiene needs for families, through Save the Children!

#7 Toy Drive

Donate gifts to a local children’s organization or family shelter. Take your kids shopping for the local toy drive or have them go through and find toys in their closet they never opened. Take them to a local toy drive and let your child drop them in the box.

#8 Nursing Home

Go caroling at a nursing home, or just stop by and spend time visiting with the residents. A friend mentioned the other day, that they could really use some volunteers at the nursing home in town.

People to sit and talk with the residents, play games, and give them a reason to smile during the holiday season. An hour or two of your time can make a big impact in someone’s life.

#9 Say Cheese

Snap a photo with the Johnson & Johnson Donate a Photo App, to raise funds and awareness for causes important to you! This is an easy way to give back to those in need, and you can do it every day.

Plus, you can quickly share the photo to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, to encourage others to make a difference as well. With the simple act of snapping a photo and sharing, your family can join more then 179,000 people who have helped Johnson & Johnson make a difference.

There are many ways to give back during the holidays as a family. You don’t even have to leave the house to make a difference, because for every photo shared through the free Donate a Photo app, Johnson & Johnson donates $1 to one of its trusted non-profit partners!

The best part? The non-profit is chosen by you, from the list on the app. Save the Children, a longstanding global partner, is one of the important causes that can be supported. So grab your family and say cheese to give the gift of joy this holiday season, or purchase a gift from the Save the Children “Gifts of Joy” holiday catalogue! 

You can learn more at donateaphoto.com/en_US, and download the app at the app store.

Johnson & Johnson has curated a list of trusted causes, and you can donate a photo to one cause, once a day. Each cause will appear in the app until it reaches its goal, or the donation period ends. If the goal isn’t reached, the cause will still get a minimum donation.