Do you Celebrate Thanks + Giving?

I received a stipend for my time on this post. The stipend will be used to give back for Giving Tuesday. Opinions are all my own.

I know you’ve heard of Black Friday. And then, of course, rolls around Cyber Monday. But did you know there’s a movement in the works called Giving Tuesday? This year is the 2nd annual year of Giving Tuesday which will be held on December 3rd. While shopping for the holidays is tons of fun, sometimes we can overlook giving back during all the hustle and bustle of this busy season.

We have several traditions of giving back through the holidays. First, my church group does an annual turkey drive where we raise funds to buy turkeys for families in need throughout the community. I love being able to help families enjoy the time together as a family spent around a delicious meal they might otherwise have needed to go without. It eases my immediate concern for those who might have little to eat throughout the year. Giving and helping others allows me to enjoy my own thanksgiving feast to not sit around as stuffed as a Thanksgiving turkey and feeling sad.

Another tradition we do in our family is to give back gifts to kids for the holidays. We like to look for a family that we know personally and know could use the help to gift along perfect presents that tend to fill up my closet throughout the year from extras I received for a review or too good to pass up clearance deals. It always makes our own Christmas shopping and receiving of gifts much happier as we reflect back on the season and remember those we were able to help.

Here’s a peek at just some of what’s going to toy drives this year:

Last year, for Giving Tuesday, “Over 2,500 charities, volunteer organizations, corporations and foundations came together in all 50 U.S. states with one common purpose ‐‐ to help others and incentivize ways to give more, give smarter, and celebrate the great American spirit of contribution.”

Here’s some ideas that can get you thinking about how you can participate for Giving Tuesday!

• Volunteer at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen
• Donate toys, books or games for kids this Christmas
• Clean up a community park
• Write a note of thanks to someone serving in our armed forces
• Give blood

Give back in whatever ways work for you! Whatever charities, groups or organizations speak to you, do something to help others this holiday season. Giving Tuesday is the opening day of giving throughout the holiday season.

Do you do anything to celebrate both Thanks + Giving? How will you give back this year?