How to Give at Christmas

For most of us, Christmas means time with family, good food, crazy light decorations and opening presents. Let's be honest: The majority of Americans love to unwrap gifts on Christmas morning. But what would your holiday season be like if you didn't focus so much on the gifts you get, and instead focused on the gifts you give?

Recently, I found this article by Dave Ramsey (author of Financial Peace), challenging all of us to give like no one else. So what does that mean? It means you need to get out of your comfort zone, think outside the box, and find ways to bless others. Whether you give some money to help a needy family with bills or give your time and energy to a shut-in, there are plenty of ways you can give like no else this Christmas.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1.Buy several winter jackets at a discount retail store and deliver them to the homeless in your community.

2.Pay the power bill for a family who is struggling financially.

3.Purchase a restaurant gift card for a young couple who are new parents, and offer to babysit their kiddo for free.

4.When checking out at the grocery store, hand the cashier some cash and tell her you want to pay for a needy family's groceries.

5.Take a single mom on a Christmas shopping spree for her kids.

6.Clean the home of a shut-in and cook for them. Stay and chat with them over dinner.

7.Bless your pastor with a Christmas card or gift.

8.Call your church and ask them if they know a family in need of gifts this year. Then, purchase a gift for each family member and drop it off at their doorstep on Christmas Eve.

9.Shovel snow, rake leaves, or pick weeds for an elderly couple in or near your neighborhood.

10.Next time you fill up your gas tank, give the clerk $50 and tell him you want to pay for someone else's gas bill.

There are all kinds of ways that you can give like no one else this Christmas, so get busy! Hopefully, this list helped you brainstorm a few ideas of your own!