7 Ways to Make Someone’s Holiday with less than $20.
The Holidays are here! Maybe you love it. Maybe you feel conflicted.
Problem 1: you're a college student, which means little excess income to buy gifts for those you love.
Problem 2: you want to please God and not get wrapped up in what your culture says is the right way to celebrate.
But maybe you're looking at it wrong. Maybe looking at your paycheck is the wrong way to start. You should start looking to the Lord in prayer instead.
In 2 Corinthians 9:7, Paul encourages a group of believers to give toward a community in need. In this communication, he reminds them that they should provide "what they have decided in their heart to give." Indicating that the practice of generosity is a spiritual one. The spiritual activity prevents giving from being done reluctantly, or because you felt pressured to do so, or both. It turns it into one of cheer. And "God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 7:9).
Whoever you're giving to, bring the cheer back into the holidays by involving God in the matter. He loves a cheerful giver, but so does everyone else. We can make the holidays exciting by practicing real generosity and giving cheerfully.
Here are a few ideas for ways you can bring cheer to those around you, with no more than $20 to spend.
Round UP your change to help a local charity
If change is literally all you have, why not make it count? The RoundUP app connects to your bank or credit card and rounds up the change from every sale, directing it to a charity of your choosing. It takes five minutes to set up but makes a world of difference for charities who are counting pennies.
2. Babysit for a married couple in need of a date night, free of charge.
Having "no money" isn't a college thing. It's an adult thing. The older you get, the more people you're responsible for. So you squeeze your budget tighter to accommodate. Consider gifting a night of free babysitting to a family you know and love. Let the parents can enjoy dinner and conversation uninterrupted by "eat your food!"
3. Take part in "Giving Tuesday" by giving back to an organization you believe in.
Yes, #GivingTuesday is today. It's a day celebrating generosity by rounding up an average of 27 million people to give on the same day. There's nothing special about this day as opposed to, say, other Tuesdays. But it's always fun to do something together. Gifts that come in on #GivingTuesday encourages charities that people still care. Their cause still matters amid the holiday bustle. Plus, many of them have matching funds available. If you give $20, it counts as $40. Heck of a deal!
4. Host a kids activity hour
Bless some kids enduring cold weather with an activity or craft hour! Lead them on a scavenger hunt. Get small canvases and have a painting hour. Decorate some cookies. Take someone ice skating. Jesus told us to pay attention to the kids. Let's follow his example outside of Sunday school and scheduled programming. Get creative and let kids know they're loved!
5. Surprise someone with snail mail.
It never goes out of style. It's always fun to know someone thought about you and put in the time and energy to write something! Surprise your grandma, who is afraid you forgot about her. Thank your youth pastor for his investment in you. Remind your friend from high school you still think and pray for them. Make someone's day!
6. Go Caroling!
Seriously. It's the tradition that is sure to make people smile but doesn't happen often enough. Grab some friends and spend a night blessing the homes of friends or strangers. Help them know neighbors can still be neighbors, and young people can still be pure.
7. Buy a meaningful gift for someone cause you want to, not cause you have to.
Don't buy because you have to, but because you want to. People in your life are special and do deserve attention. Nothing beats a friend knowing you so well they know how to shop for you. Don't forget to celebrate the people in your life who are there for you every day.