Instead of buying Christmas gifts for people who already have everything they need, try donating some food to your local food bank. Send each person who might be thinking they will get a gift from you a note telling them that you gave their "gift" to a needy family this year and thank them! You can include a copy of the grocery receipt.
I do the same thing with the "Angel Trees" every year.
You can also volunteer time at the soup kitchens serving needy people a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner as a way of being thankful for all you have. This is a great lesson for kids as well.
If you have the money, you can also adopt a family in your community and buy them things they need instead. This is a great project if several families get together since they would have more money to spend. Remember that some kids would appreciate a new pair of shoes rather than a toy! Believe it or not, some kids on the Angel Trees (teens especially) ask for under clothes. Just remember all that you have and imagine, if you needed underwear, that would embarrass you.
You will feel good about what you have done and know that you have helped the world be a kinder place for a family/children in need.
By Virginia from Brownsville, OR
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On the average year, my husband and I have 16 Christmas gifts to buy for family. To eliminate stress, I start buying for Christmas in January.
