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You are here: Home / Christmas Traditions / Keep Good Going Moments: Holiday Giving Traditions for Little Ones

Keep Good Going Moments: Holiday Giving Traditions for Little Ones

| Filed Under: Christmas Traditions, Giveaways, Random Acts of Kindness


Growing up I was lucky to have parents who valued the act of giving to others all year long, but especially during the holiday season when so much seems to revolve around what we want. They taught my 3 siblings and me that giving to others less fortunate was a really important thing to do and made it an integral part of our lives. 

I remember my mom would volunteer every month to serve with Meals on Wheels, and we would help her load up all the tins of food in coolers in our car and deliver them around lunchtime, and how excited we were to meet every person on the list. We also worked at the food pantry and local soup kitchens, making sure that hot meals were cooked and served to those who needed them. And I always remember every year around this time we would head to the mall or local big box store with my parents, and we would each get to pick a child’s name off the Christmas trees at the entrance. We would spend what seemed like hours picking out the perfect gift for them and then race home to wrap it up with ribbons and bows. I am so thankful that my parents placed service so high up on their list of priorities. It has definitely made me who I am today as I love helping those that need a helping hand, giving back to others, and surprising people with random acts of kindness just to put a smile on their face. And now that I have 4 little ones I want to teach them exactly like my parents taught me. Give to those in need. Give to those less fortunate then you are. Just Give. Over the past 5 years we have started our own family tradition of giving by sending off shoeboxes to Operation Christmas Child. This is truly an amazing organization that gives to children in need in countries all around the world. My kids love going on a wild shopping spree to help less fortunate children. They pick out toys, school supplies, hygiene products, and accessories like socks, hair bands, and sunglasses. Then they come home and stuff their shoeboxes full and send them on their way. They can even track which country their shoebox full of goodies went to! I just love how my kids are learning that serving others is a way of life!   And one company that also thinks serving others is an important part of life is New York Life. They are donating 25 meals to Feeding America for every tweet that includes #KeepGoodGoing and hashtag #FeedingAMillion. 25 MEALS!!! That is awesome!!! Plus they are encouraging people to share your own special Keep Good Going moments and experiences by tweeting and using their twitter handle @NewYorkLife. New York Life is also giving away one $50 VISA Gift Card and a $50 donation on behalf of BlogHer in the winner’s name to Feeding America. To enter just tell me in the comments below, “What are you thankful for this holiday season?”

*Through 1/9/15, New York Life will donate $2.50 for each approved post, with a minimum of $25K & a maximum of $100K. 
See full terms and conditions at NewYorkLife.com/CelebratingGood. Find info about Feeding America at feedingamerica.org.

Good Luck! Love, Maggie  

 

Sweepstakes Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry. 

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 12/1/2014 – 12/31/2014.

Be sure to visit the New York Life brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

 

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    Comments

    1. Chelsea says

      I am most thankfull for my hard working husband. He works hard so I can be home with our kids in a warm house with everything we need. Not sure what I would do with out him!

    2. Jacqueline says

      This holiday season I am thankful for my husband. I am so lucky to have him as my partner on this journey.

    7. Nicole D says

      I am Thankful for having my finances in control this year, better then last year I must say, and I am thankful for my husband.

    11. Christine says

      Our girls love filling their shoeboxes, which look very similar to yours! I think it is such a great way to get the kids involved and learning that not everyone has what they do and how to make a difference.

    12. Julie Wood says

      I am thankful for my Dad being here this Holiday season and not being sick anymore!! I am thankful that all of my sisters and brothers will be spending the Holidays with me! And I am so thankful for my new baby niece who was born a few weeks ago-healthy!

    17. Madeline says

      I’m thankful for a wonderful hubby, and my darling daughter, and parents who are still alive.

    22. Kaitlin says

      I’m thankful for my lord and savior Jesus Christ, my husband, my family, friends, a roof over our head, and food!
      Kaitlindotbolesatgmaildotcom

    30. ANGEL JACKLYN says

      I AM THANKFUL FOR HAVING A ROOF OVER MY HEAD & BEING IN A GOOD OFF POSITION IN LIFE! THANK YOU LORD!

    34. Gina M says

      I am thankful for my family’s health and happiness!

      Thanks for the chance to win!
      wildorchid985 AT gmail DOT com

    52. Ellie Wright says

      I’m thankful my recent biopsy for breast cancer came back benign.

      eswright18 at gmail dot com

    54. Sandy Klocinski says

      A roof over my head and a warm home. Few things feel better than to reflect upon having warm home and a roof over my head when it is cold and windy outside and I can hear the rain beating hard on my window.

    57. Sandy Klocinski says

      Plenty of drinkable water. I love water and drink plenty of it every day. It is certainly something I take for granted from time to time. But it is not a given. 780 million people lack access to safe drinking water according to water.org.

    59. Margaret Smith says

      I am thankful for my family and being able to spend Christmas with my love ones. My brother and his family and my Dad live out of state and I’m so grateful that we are able to spend the Holidays together.

    60. Denise L says

      I’m thankful that for my health. I’ve watched so many people I love deal with sickness throughout my life. Every day of health is something to rejoice over!

    67. Theresa Smith says

      I am thankful for my family and that we have a roof over our heads and some food on the table.

    70. Rosanne says

      I am thankful we had 22 here for Christmas -my husband, all my sons and their wives and children and my husbands relatives and a very good friend of mine.

    82. Chi Shannon says

      I am thankful for my daughters! 🙂 They are truly awesome and wonderful people! I’m also thankful for life itself 🙂 Things are pretty good right now and I hope they continue to be the same next year 🙂

    86. angie says

      I am thankful that my mother, who turned 71 this year, is healthy as a horse. She does yoga, rides her bike, walks, bodysurfs, swims, water aerobics, water zumba, etc. She is healthier than I am! LOL

    87. Regina M. says

      That my mom survived serious burns, and for the people at the burn center who made it possible.

    92. Cathy Truman says

      I am most thankful for my wonderful husband who learned to walk again after
      having a stroke and was told he would not walk again,

    93. Tabathia B says

      I am thankful my daughter has been healthy and didn’t have to spend holidays in the hospital

      tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

    98. HilLesha says

      I’m thankful for every moment. I’m thankful for God, my family and best friend. I’m thankful for being healthy. I’m thankful for having the basic necessities, such as having a place to live and food. Needless to say, I’m thankful for everything. 🙂

    109. AndreaH says

      I am thankful for so much this holiday season but the main thing I am thankful for is being able to have another year to celebrate with my parents.

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