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| Holiday Bells |
What are these holiday bells you ask? They are actual bells that we put on the tree as ornaments, but each one denotes the charity of our choice for the year.
So, one year my bell represented my donation to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, while Hub’s was to the Sea Turtle Conservancy, and the hooligans both chose the Phoenix Zoo. I began this tradition when the hooligans were little because I wanted them to actively think of others, about giving to others, and learn the responsibility you have when you have plenty to give to others who don’t. I also wanted them to have the autonomy to choose where they contributed their money in the world. They chose the Zoo for several years, but then when there was a refugee crisis, they opted to give their donation there instead.
The idea was inspired from watching one of my fave holiday movies It's a Wonderful Life and the expression, repeated frequently in the film, "Every time a bell rings an angel gets their wings." I had the thought while watching that it would be lovely to hear holiday bells ring and know for a fact that something good was attached to the ring-a-ding-ding and so the tradition began.
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| It's a Wonderful Life |
We’re going on eight or so years now, so there are a lot of bells on our tree which makes me smile, especially when one of the cats tries to climb the tree and the bells act as an early warning system.
This year, we lost a beloved family member in the month of December, so we each chose a favorite organization of hers to make a donation in her name. And the bell I found to represent our giving this year just warms my heart. It’s the tiniest angel, which seems fitting.
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| This year's bell |
What about you, Reds and Readers, how do you combat the materialism and what’s one of your favorite traditions?
We always fill shoeboxes for the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child and we pick angels from the tree to buy gifts for a needy family. Like you, Jenn, we wanted our children to grow up knowing that giving to others is an important part of the Christmas season . . . .
ReplyDeleteOh, I like that, Joan. I love doing the angel trees, too.
DeleteThat is a lovely tradition, Jenn, and a good lesson for your sons. I'm so sorry you lost someone dear to you. An angel bell is a perfect symbol for remembering her.
ReplyDeleteFor many years my Quaker Meeting has sponsored a large family in great need, getting the list of children, sizes, ages, and wish lists. I always pick a young girl so I can buy her a warm pink coat and hat (like you, never having had a daughter). We also cooked dinner for a hundred at a shelter, and my sons would come along to help cook and serve. Now they are adults, I'm very proud that they both do lots of volunteer service work.
When i pick from the angel tree, it's always a girl! LOL!
DeleteWe are always looking around for charities and often enlisted the kids' opinions.
ReplyDeleteLast year, The Hubby bought a bunch of gifty-looking boxes at the Dollar Store. Then we went through our records for all the charities we donated to throughout 2017, wrote the names of the organizations on little slips of paper, then opened them on Christmas Day. The kiddos were really surprised at how many places we donated to.
Mary/Liz
That's a great idea, Mary. You do forget during the year - it adds up!
DeletePerfect, Mary.
DeleteNot surprised at how giving all the Reds and readers are!! Jenn, your tiny angel bell is a treasure and will warm your heart for years to come. I love your tradition of Christmas giving bells--and hey, it doesn't hurt that they serve as a Christmas tree alarm system!
ReplyDeleteWe also try to give as we can throughout the year and at Christmas. For many years the boys' choice was Heifer International. They love animals and could easily grasp how important the gifted animals were to the people in need (and this way could virtually have a baby goat to give, because, um, no baby goats or pigs or etc. here).
I love Heifer Intl. We gave away chicks and bees for years! So fun for little kids.
DeleteYeah Heifer Intl. Amazing what a chicken can do for a whole family!
DeleteI love that, Jenn!
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteThis is so absolutely beautiful! What a wonderful tradition, in every way. Today this is what we are doing! We will each choose two places, and send the donations as a pre-holiday gift! Our donations tend to be in the “save the arts and literacy “ category and in the “justice for all “category. I guess that’s not surprising!
ReplyDeleteIsn’t this weekend strange? Such a weird couple of days… But I am catching up like crazy. And now, Jenn, every time I hear a bell, I will think of your tradition. Love that! Xxx
I love that your donations match you so well, Hank!
DeleteI love your tradition of the bells, Jenn. I think it's important to teach children to think of others, and letting them choose their own charity brings home the idea that giving also impacts their lives. I'm sure your hooligans chose the zoo because they liked going there.
ReplyDeleteNot having kids to pass that sort of idea down to, I have no lovely traditions of my own but, long ago, someone explained to me that I could have a greater impact if I pick one or two things I care about and confine my giving there, so for me it's music and animal rescue. I know there are a gazillion good causes, but I like to be there when the kids connect to the music, and the dogs get out of the shelter, so that's what I support.
Animal rescue is a big one around here, obviously :) Music is a winner, too.
DeleteOh, the bells, bells, bells! This is the most lovely tradition, Jenn. Wondering if you got that generous thoughtfulness from your parents. We have tried to cut down on the number of things because it can get ridiculous, and who needs that much stuff. My week of giving is the last week of the year when I figure out what I've earned and take a percentage to give. This year high on my list is a fund for Puerto Ricans still struggling after Hurricane Maria. And the ACLU.
ReplyDeleteHallie, thank you for the Puerto Rico reminder!
DeleteYes, thanks for the reminder, Hallie! My parents were big on environmental causes. I am the most rabid recycler/composter I know. :)
DeleteGrowing up we always had a good Christmas to look forward to. Not a crazy over the top kind of thing but we always did well. My parents liked to make sure that we had memorable days that way, but we also got a sense of appreciation for it as well.
ReplyDeleteWe didn't have any traditions like what you have with the bells Jenn. As little kids, we always had to wait in our rooms until my mother and father went out into the kitchen and started the coffee. Then we'd all come out in our bathrobes and PJs for the Xmas wonderment to begin. Again as little kids, my mother would leave one or two gifts unwrapped, those were from Santa.
As we got older and got informed of the truth, we got to be in on the secret and got to stay up late (after coming home from my grandmother's on Xmas Eve) to help lay out the gifts.
And there was the Xmas day afternoon thank you calls. And we had our annual visit from Mrs. Crumblehome to look forward to as well. She was the wife of my dad's first partner on the police force. After he died, she took to us kids and became a surrogate grandmother. She always brought over these great gifts that were small in nature but big on enjoyment and we loved them and her because she was always so cool (throughout the year, not just on Xmas Day).
The only other Xmas tradition was the annual Xmas Eve gathering at my grandmother's house (later moved to my aunt's when it got to be too much for my grandmother). The various branches of the family would gather for the food and family togetherness and PRESENTS! We had visits from Santa Claus, ate lots of great food (my aunt's chicken dish is one of my all time favorite dishes!) and had lots of fun times. We'd torture newcomers to the event. The first year my uncle dated a Jewish woman, we had her believing that she'd be required to sing Xmas carols in order to stay! My uncle also liked to be funny with his presents. One year, a cousin asked for a Sprite doll from the Rainbow Brite doll line. But all she said was she wanted a Sprite. So my uncle bought a two liter bottle of the soda and wrapped it up! The look on her face was PRICELESS!
My aunt used to host foreign exchange students for a few years and one Christmas, my uncle decided to mess with everyone and put labels on the packages (over the wrapping paper) to say what they were. Of course, what he put on them wasn't true, but the poor exchange student was horrified when she saw that her package said "underwear" on it.
As most of the kids got older, the presents became a Yankee Swap instead and we had themes for that to make it interesting. And there were themes for the overall day too. We had to come dressed as our favorite Xmas character one year. We had Rudolph and Clarice, characters from the Island of Misfit Toys, Baby New Year, the pink bunny suit from A Christmas Story and many others.
The gathering was something we did for 40 years but it was stopped 3 Christmases ago, the same year my mom passed away, though that wasn't the reason. Still it was a good run.
I know my sister usually donates to a local animal shelter with either money or food. My friend that owns a vinyl record shop has a contest with the shop owner next to him to raise money and food donations for an animal shelter as well. I donated to him this year. The loser has to wear an ugly cat shirt and post the photo online (they are both dog lovers).
My mother always donated to Kurn Hattin Homes in Vermont (my dad grew up there) and my aunt and two uncles usually make a donation in my parent's memory each year.
I don't have any particular specific donation at the holidays that I make other than maybe buying one of those "give a kid a book" things at the checkout counter at Barnes and Noble. I usually donate through the year to whomever sets up outside the grocery store trying to raise money for something.
Jay, I love so much about your traditions. Mrs. Crumblehome HAS to be a character in a book - the name alone is fantastic. I love that she took to you kids. As for your family, what joyous memories you have - dressing as Christmas characters - genius! That is truly wonderful, but I am sorry to hear that the gatherings ended. I, too, love to buy the books for kids at BN! Get 'em reading young!
DeleteJenn, I start the whole get 'em reading young by giving out comic books on Halloween as well.
DeleteJenn, what a beautiful tradition. Kids who grow up in your kind of environment will become kind and thoughtful adults.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a joyous Christmas!
Thanks, Rhys! We'll see. We're in the very self-involved teen years, so the jury is still out. LOL.
DeleteJenn, what a wonderful tradition. When my daughter was little, we always did an angel tree gift for a needy child, but the last few years at Christmas I have mostly given to the Dallas Morning News Charities, which do so much for the needy in the Dallas area. We'll have to think about what tradition we can start next year when Wren is little older. The bells are a lovely idea.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debs. I like giving local, too. It feels much more personal than a a big national organization.
DeleteThe homelessness is growing to epidemic proportions here in Southern CA so the opportunities are year round, bottled water, coupons for the fast food restaurants, 3 packs of socks and undies. Many have their dogs with them so cans of dog food with pop tops.
ReplyDeleteBrene Brown introduced me to one of my fav organizations. It's "Undies for Everyone." They're based in Houston. They do exactly with the name implies. I first heard about them when Brene put out a call on their behalf so that they could bring help to the folks who had been cooped up in shelters during the hurricane, many with just the clothes on their back.
Lyda! I remember that. I sent undies to Houston, too. Also, I love Brene Brown!
DeleteIt's a beautiful idea Jenn, and we already knew your boys would be wonderful hearing about them raising your kitten! I am about to work on our charitable donations, which will certainly include the ACLU, an environmental organization called 350.org and lots more. Love to you all!
ReplyDeleteLove to you, too, Lucy! Happy Holidays, everyone!
DeleteWe contribute each year to three places: PBS, The Nature Conservancy, and C.A.T, the Cat Adoption Team, a local no-kill shelter for cats. We've been donating (usually in the Summer) to the first two for decades, and to C.A.T. since we moved to Portland nine years ago. We donate in Summer, rather than December, because it coincides with one of the PBS drives, and Nature Conservancy has the biggest needs that time of year, as does the shelter.
ReplyDeleteRegarding traditions, while my wife grew up in one of the go one place Christmas Eve, another on Christmas Day, for me it was my parents, my brother and me, so it was just Christmas morning. We could get our stockings at 6:00 am, but the rest came after the adults had coffee, and we all had Christmas breakfast, usually a special coffee cake or pastry of some kind, and eggs and bacon. Then we kids helped clear the table, while my Mom washed up so the kitchen was clean and ready to make Christmas dinner, which would be at about 2:30, and was either ham or turkey. Finally we sat down at the tree and, one package at a time, opened the gifts. I think the drawing out of it heightened the anticipation which had built over the previous week, or longer.
Then, suddenly, it's over. But the good news was that there was always a book, and when I was young, a toy, so there was playing and reading to do that afternoon, and we took a walk, my Dad and brother and I, often greeting neighbors as we went, and there would be other kids out with their toys or new bikes or whatever. I must say while I loved that walk, I was always eager to get back to my new book!
I hope today, and the next two, are very happy for you all.
I love that tradition of yours, Jenn. So meaningful. I give to various charities on a monthly basis, and then at year's end I give a bit more here and there.
ReplyDeleteOn a totally unrelated topic, I've finally figured out why I can't post comments to this blog from my new Mac laptop: no RSS widget/whatsit/app (??) is installed. Rats! I'll have to sort that one out, pronto. I read this blog every day and feel too much like a stalker not being able to contribute to the conversation. Yes, I can use my older PC desktop (as I'm doing now), but that means coming to the lower level (basement) and firing it up. #firstworldproblem
Lovely! I'll be sitting down writing charity checks with Christmas music playing . . . grateful to have something to give. (but including a stern note that they are NOT to use the funds to send me stacks of additional requests ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely tradition and what a great gift to give to your sons. My charities tend to be animal oriented and stretched out over the year with gifts to local non-kill shelters.
ReplyDeleteAs the product of a multi-heritage background, our traditions were multi-lingual. Seven fish night from Italy, Christmas presents on Christmas Eve from Germany, buche de noel from France. My earliest Christmases were on my great grandparents farm in upstate New York and we traveled to Church in a horse-drawn sleigh. Those were magical as we often saw Santa streak through the sky. I'm sure it had nothing to do with proximity to an airport. Later Christmases were rotated among the homes of the families, looking back the logistics must have been staggering, but the adults managed and everyone had a fabulous time.
I don't remember any special charity giving at Christmas when I was little. I think my parents had enough to buy the family presents. They always gave to the church and later various charities. I give all through the year to PBS, the library, friends of my local branch, various environmental causes, and a few others.
ReplyDeleteI love that! We don't do gifts here, so the past few years we've bought a bunch of cat food and taken it to a local cat sanctuary instead.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous tradition! And I LOVE your new bell. I feel horribly guilty because aside from bringing donations to our favorite animal rescue and sending some checks, we don't do much charity-wise these days. But we've never been huge gift givers, so the materialistic aspect of the holiday is on the low-end, at least.
ReplyDeleteI just donated to a cat charity in memory of my cat Sox who died of cancer. I miss that cat so much. I also like to donate to St. Jude's and the Salvation Army. Our library in leu of fines you can bring canned goods for the local food bank. pgenest57(at)aol(dot)com
ReplyDelete