The Joy of Giving Back During The Holiday Season

It's the most wonderful time of the year! We love the holiday season and make it a priority to give back to our community and beyond during this treasured time of year. I've partnered with Zonderkidz to share how I highlight the joy of giving for my children.

I don't know about your kids, but mine can come down with a serious case of the "wants" during the holidays. With all the commercials on television and advertisements geared towards children for toys and goodies, it's not hard to understand why. While we enjoy giving our children gifts and treats during the holiday season, we know that not everyone is as fortunate and we strive to teach our children about the joy of giving.

I remember the first time we bought toys for our local Toys For Tots drive. There were a LOT of tears shed by my son. He didn't quite realize that the toys we were buying were meant for other children. This is such a hard concept for children to grasp.

The next year, we purchased items for Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child and packaged up two shoeboxes to send to children who may have never received any gifts before. I did things a little differently this year though. I searched for videos of children abroad opening their boxes. The pure joy spilling out of them delighted my son. He was 4-years-old and it was like a little light went off in his head. As we shopped for our gifts, he wondered if another little boy would love the items as much as he did.

The Berenstain Bears and The Joy of Giving

This year, my daughter is 3-years-old and I think she's ready to understand the joy of giving. We were sent a copy of The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving, by Jan & Mike Berenstain, and my 6-year-old was able to read the book to her, cover to cover. I can't tell you how thrilling this was for me. I grew up reading The Berenstain Bears and my heart is so full when I watch my kids reading these books.

The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving was written for children ages 3-8 and is very simple for them to understand and relate to. Brother and Sister Bear can’t wait for Christmas and are excited to open all their gifts. Unfortunately, they were focused on the "joy of getting." It wasn't until their Christmas Eve pageant that they finally realize what the joy of giving is all about when they focus on the reason for the season.

This year, when it was time to pack our Operation Christmas Child boxes, my daughter shopped with a happy heart. I explained to her that we were shopping for another 3-year-old little girl and that she could choose the items for the box. She picked out several things like baby dolls, hair bows, squishy toys, and coloring books.

We even prayed over the box before we packed it up! She was so sweet about it and I felt like she really connected with the idea of giving back to others in need.

My little guy was also pretty amazing and picked out quite a few things for his box. They always shop for a child the same age as them so it's pretty easy for him to pick out gifts. This was his 4th year packing a box and I know he loves the excitement of tracking our boxes and imagining what the child on the receiving end is like.

The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving is a simple way to teach kids that it's a blessing to give to others. I can't recommend this book enough and I think it's even more impactful if you can put the message into action. Whether you do random acts of kindness, purchase presents for families in need, donate your time by serving others, or one of the countless other ways to give back, it can teach your children about the true joy of giving.

Do you focus on the joy of giving during the holidays?
What are some ways that you give back?

Special thanks to Zonderkidz for sponsoring this conversation.