Do you want to encourage generosity in your children this Christmas? Parenting is tough year-round, but Christmas, as lovely as it is, can unintentionally breed greed and entitlement in young children. However, it’s also the perfect time to teach children important lessons about empathy, generosity, and kindness.
This article gives some inspiring and helpful suggestions to help you encourage generosity in your children this Christmas season.
How to Encourage Generosity in Your Children this Christmas
Before the Christmas tree goes up, my children go into full-on “wanting” mode.
I understand.
I remember those exciting times as a kid… anticipating that special day of the year when you get gifts from others simply because you’re loved.
Yet I worry.
I fear that greed and entitlement will overcome my children. As their Christmas lists grow, so does my concern that greed will overcome them.
Does this burden you, too? Here are some practical ways to encourage generosity in your children this Christmas.
Here are some ways to encourage your children to be generous this #Christmas. #parentingtips Share on XIT ALL STARTS WITH A LIST
First of all, why not start the season with generosity? Instead of encouraging your child to write a Christmas wish list, get them to write a Christmas giving list. Have them write out how they would like to help others this year. A few prompts for this list could be:
- I would like to help…
- I would like to donate…
- I would like to invite…
- I would like to send a Christmas card to…
- I would like to make…
- I would like to give…
HAVE A MEANINGFUL CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN
In addition, generosity can be practiced daily throughout the Christmas season.
Write 24 special activities and acts of kindness on pieces of paper. Do one activity every day leading up to Christmas.
Our meaningful Christmas countdown is a beloved tradition.
VOLUNTEER
Perhaps you can investigate volunteer opportunities that your children can participate in over the Christmas season. Here are some possible volunteer activities you can do with your children:
- sing carols at a senior’s home
- clean kennels at an animal shelter
- help deliver meals to seniors who are confined to their homes
- shovel neighbours’ sidewalks
It’s always a good idea to call organizations in advance to see if help is needed. Some places have age restrictions or may be booking volunteer opportunities far in advance.
What I love about volunteerism, is it teaches children that generosity isn’t just about giving money, people can be generous with their time.
PURCHASE AND DONATE TOYS
Furthermore, give your children a budget and have them select toys to donate to children in need.
Our children have save / give / spend jars that they use to store their money. They use their own money to purchase and donate toys. Using their own money has a lot more meaning than simply buying it for them to donate.
COLLECT FOOD FOR THE FOODBANK
The food bank is always in need of donations. Encourage your children to collect food from family and friends. After they’ve filled a box, they can donate it to the food bank. This article highlights how to make the most of your food bank donations.
You could even plan a reverse advent calendar! The way this works is you start with an empty basket and have your children add an item to the basket every day in December leading up to Christmas. Encourage them to use some of their allowance to purchase items for the basket.
BUY A CHICKEN, A WELL, OR A PIG…
Every year, my children and I gather around the World Vision catalog and we select a gift for a community in need. From livestock to medicines, clean water to education, there are plenty of gifts to send to a needy community.
USE THEIR CREATIVITY FOR GOOD
Get out the construction paper and crayons! Have your children make Christmas cards for people who are in the hospital for Christmas or for seniors in a care facility.
ASK THEM
Lastly, try asking your children how they would like to be more generous this Christmas! You might be surprised by all the beautiful ideas they come up with!
It’s never too late to encourage generosity in your children. Whether they donate time, goods, or money, there’s always some way to help those in need.
SHARE WITH OTHERS
All great advice on how to teach generosity in children this time of the year. Interestingly enough I got up this morning and was happily surprised. See my oldest created her own booklet ornament for my husband and I to put on our tree. It as created out of cardboard, paper and ribbon. Inside was a Christmas story about how much we love her, how we are always there for and more. I was truly blown away that my daughter thought to do this herself with no help from any of us, as well as her kind and thoughtful words. So, I want to believe we are doing something right here with her and her sister. But thank you for further suggestions. Hugs and have a wonderful day ahead now xoxo <3
I love the World vision catalog! I also love your ideas. I’m surprised that Scarlet is actually very generous during the holidays. I shouldn’t be surprised, but she’s a kid! Generally she asks for one or two things, and makes a point to give give give.
I really like the 24 ideas to write down of special acts of kindness.
If I would win, I would not use the money for my family. I would put the money toward the children’s books that my daughter and I wrote so we could give them away to children instead of the books collecting dust in our closet.
Oh that’s such a lovely idea. <3 Good luck in the giveaway!
I love this post, great tips to help children be generous. I will definitely use all these in teaching my little one to be more generous. Thank you for sharing.
I’m delighted that you found these suggestions helpful!
What a generous giveaway!!!!!
It’s a fabulous giveaway! Good luck to you!
What a great post! This is something that weighs on my mind a lot as the Christmas season approaches!
The Giveaway is also amazing! I would love to take the money and have my children work on a service project to provide Christmas gifts for children who won’t have a Christmas this year.
I’m delighted that you enjoyed this post. I love your idea for how you would use the money from this giveaway… blessed to be a blessing. Good luck to you Darby!
I love the World Vision idea too! When our catalog came last year my animal obsessed 4 year old asked why we could buy ourselves a goat, too. Haha. I also absolutely love the giving list idea. I will definitely be using these ideas!
That World Vision catalog is the BEST! That’s funny about your 4-year-old. My girls used to do that every year too… begging for a goat or a chicken. LOL
Hi Jennifer! These ideas are so good. I’ll be sharing this one on my page for sure. I hope you are doing well and you have a wonderful Christmas season, my friend.
Thank you Chris! I’m delighted you enjoyed these ideas! Wishing you a wonderful Christmas season as well.
My husband is having surgery Dec 9th and I will find out if I need surgery as well- for a different reason. That money would help us with our finances at a time when we need it most!
Oh, big prayers for you and your husband.