Donate Your Christmas: There's So Much More to the Holidays Than I Ever Realized by Erin Elam


Donate Your Christmas: There's So Much More to the Holidays Than I Ever Realized

There’s nothing in this world that my husband can buy me that I can’t buy myself. There’s also nothing in this world that I truly want more than to see people succeed and smile. I’m blessed that he feels the same.

We aren’t rich. We have bills. We have animals. We have a child. I’d say, we are pretty darn average people.

Our first Christmas together, we were without child or animals. He had bills; I had bills. I spent nearly $1000 on him for Christmas. He spent nearly $1000 on me. Months later our gifts still sat in boxes. It’s then that we decided to donate our Christmas. Instead of having lavish gifts that sit in boxes each year, we donate $1000, split between ourselves to two different places that could use the help.

Why? You’ve got it! To help others succeed and, yes, smile. Christmas for six years now has been sensory equipment, new art supplies, a wheelchair, transportation help, recess equipment, food, clothing and even crates to house animals in need. I’ve never smiled so much. I also don’t have to stare at boxes filled with things that, well, I don’t need, and can buy myself.

My favorite places to donate are schools and animal shelters. Try it. Just one year. I promise you’ll smile.

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Melinda Sharp
This is so inspiring to me. I've long been thinking that I put too much emphasis on material goods. I think because I had so little as a child that I wanted the holidays to be "better" for my kids. But you give me pause. As out kids get older, THEY can buy for themselves. Maybe it's time to step back and take on a family service project together. That may be where I will find the true spirit of Christmas. Thank you for your story!
Holly Budde
I love this tip. If each of us took a little bit of the commercial out of our own christmases we could not only do great things. We could teach our kids that their is more to life than “stuff”
Elisa Schmitz
This is beautiful. Thank you for the inspiration. I love this, Erin Elam ! ❤️

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