Today’s post was written into my schedule as a Gothic gift guide. I love all things Gothic and I was really looking forward to putting this post together when I added it to my schedule.
And then it came to the time to do it, and all that was running through my head was another gift guide? Really? 
Gift guides are everywhere – I think literally anyone with a blog writes at least one. And I’m so sick of seeing them (there I said it).
Now please don’t take this the wrong way if you’ve written one or more gift guides. I’ve done three myself which you can read here, here and here. And I’m sure people feel exactly the same way about mine by now.
My point is if I’m sick of seeing then, then chances are my readers are too. I know the golden rule – write for yourself – but let’s be honest here. No one wants to write a post knowing that all it’s going to do is make people eye roll. And if we’re all being really honest, no part of doing a gift guide is writing for yourself – it’s about trying to help out your readers and give them some ideas for those awkward to buy for people in their lives.
So knowing today’s post wasn’t going to happen as planned, I did my usual trick when plans change and opened up a blank post and started writing. And it seemed to be turning into a rant about gift guides. That was never my intention – who wants to rant about Christmas except maybe Scrooge?
So now I’m going to turn it around into something positive (it’s a good job post titles come last when I’m writing this way or the title would not have reflected the post in the slightest).
Spread The Holiday Cheer
Christmas is a time for giving and I always find myself thinking more than usual about people who have nothing. Maybe its a bit of guilt on my part because I can have the Christmas I want to have, I’m not sure. But I always find myself thinking about how particularly awful this time of year must be for people who can’t afford a little treat for themselves or their children.
Even though Christmas is a time where we already have a lot of stress and a lot of financial outgoings, its a time when even the small gestures can make a huge difference to someone less fortunate than ourselves.
Ways You Can Make a Difference
Here are a few ideas to try to make this holiday season happier for everyone without having to spend a fortune:
- Donate some toys that are no longer used to a local children’s hospice
- Leave an old book you no longer need on the train or bus for someone else to read
- Donate Christmas decorations you no longer use to a charity shop
- Buy even just one extra grocery item for your local food bank
- Volunteer an hour of your time to make up parcels or hand them out in your local food bank
- Buy an extra toy when Christmas shopping to donate to children who otherwise won’t receive a present this year
- Put 50p in a charity box of your choice (it doesn’t sound like a lot, but imagine the huge difference it could make if everyone did this)
- Buy a cup of tea or coffee for a homeless person
These are just a couple of suggestions, and I realise that none of them are particularly ground breaking, but if everyone did just one of those things, it would make a huge difference.
Together, we really can make 
this world a better place.
And if you really can’t afford to help, smile at a stranger. This sounds stupid, but you never know what someone is going through, or how alone they may feel, and sometimes, the smallest gesture of kindness can be enough to brighten up someone’s day.
Do you have any suggestions to add to the list? Let me know in the comments 🙂
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Very enjoyable post. Thank you.
Thank you 🙂
I’m not a fan of gift guides because most of the ones I’ve read have had suggestions that I was meh about it. LOL
Last year, I went on a spree where I bought 150$ worth of food and items and donated it all to the Salvation Army. Hoping to do it again this year, but my account won’t let me spend as much. Still, I should be able to get at least $50-$75 worth of stuff.
Haha yeah I know what you mean!
That’s a great thing to do. Every dollar helps and I’m sure they will be over the moon with that much stuff!
what WONDERFUL ideas to share!!!! thank you!
Thank you 🙂
Great ideas and it’s always worth being reminded of little things we can do for others at this time. I have to say that I have found some inspiration this week in gift guides, but I love the way you have turned the idea around. Alison x #BloggerClubUK
Thank you 🙂 I have found some great ideas on gift guides too, but after doing a few, I wanted to do something a bit different this time x
Coming back from #AnythingGoes – lovely to talk about spreading the Christmas cheer – it’s too easily lost. Alison x
Thanks Alison – I totally agree x
Lovely post about what everyone should be doing at Christmas (and all year round). Just be kinder to each other!
Sally @ Life Loving
Agreed – being kind costs nothing 🙂
I love your Christmas list, now i feel guilty at being tied up in my family and business needs over the festive period. Will try to do one on your list this year. #BloggerClubUK
Don’t feel guilty! Of course we have to look after our families and businesses too – these are just a few simple suggestions, they aren’t meant to make anyone feel bad. You are already helping so many people have a great Christmas through your business 🙂
What a lovely post! I always like to do something kind at Christmas, and it’s so easy to do something that’s so small, but if we all did it would make such a huge difference. #BloggerClubUK
Thank you 🙂 It can really make a difference
I was thinking of putting together a list of things that we could do with our teens over the holidays and this has given me a kick start. I want them to give as well as receive over this holiday. I’m printing it out and putting it in the kitchen! Thanks for sharing this x
It’s so great to hear that my list will be useful for your family – enjoy spreading the Christmas cheer 🙂 x
I love all those ideas, because they are definitely achievable and I will do them. Merry Christmas! x #BloggerClubUK
Thank you 🙂 Enjoy spreading some Christmas cheer! x
This is lovely, Christmas has become so much about greed and grab…. I love this, it MUST be about kindness AND spreading JOY #BloggersClubUK
Thank you 🙂 Its easy to get caught up in the rushing around and forget the real meaning of giving
I couldn’t agree more with your post. Yes, I wrote gift post myself, and even linked it to this liky;)-hope you don’t delete it;), but really there are so many of them out there! And I agree on spreding love and joy at Christmas time, it’s the most rewarding knowing you made someone’s holidays a bit better, brighter, magical.x
#BloggerClubUK
Haha, no of course not – I’ve wrote some myself too! It’s a lovely time to give back whatever you can x
A lovely list, giving even just a little especially at this time of year can make a huge difference to the lives of others.
#BloggerClubUK
It really can!
These are some lovely idea, it’s easy to forget those less fortunate than ourselves and it’s such a good time of the year to help others #BloggerClubUK
Thank you 🙂 It really is!
I love this! I was thinking yesterday about all the toys we no longer need, i wasn’t sure what to do with the good ones but the local hospice would be perfect!
#BloggerClubUK
Thank you 🙂 I’m sure your local hospice will be really pleased to receive the toys 🙂
Up until we had the twins (and go just about broke at Christmastime now) we would adopt a family in the community I taught in and buy for the kids in that family.
#bloggerclubUK
Oh what a lovely thing to do!
I adore your suggestions – small but make a huge huge difference when they all add up. And I love the smiling at a stranger – it’s amazing what a boost it gives to receive a smile when you’re out. BloggerClubUK
Thank you – a smile really can turn a bad day around!
he he – I have a blog and I haven’t done a gift guide! What’s wrong with me?! 😉 Great idea about ‘donating’ books – I think I’m just going to leave a bunch of books outside one morning when the weather looks good and see what happens! Thanks for sharing! #BloggersClubUK
Haha I like it – a blogger that doesn’t follow the trend! That’s a great idea about just leaving some books outside in the better weather 🙂
I love this post. Definitely better than a gift list. #bloggerclubuk
Thank you 🙂 It felt so much better to write too!
I adore this post! Turning a gift guide into a “giving guide” is the best ever! Thank you! #BloggerClubUK
Thank you – I’m really happy with the positive response this post has had 🙂
I really love the idea of leaving a book on the train. Looking forward to sharing good cheer this christmas #BloggerClubUK
Thank you 🙂
For me christmas is about spending quality time with my family and extended family but yes I’d be devastated if I wasn’t able to afford to treat the kids. It’s definately also a time when I think about others who are far less fortunate than me and I do try to give a little, wether that be buying something for the homeless man who sleeps in a shop door in my town centre or giving a small donation to one of my chosen charities or offering a shoulder to cry on to someone going through a hard time. It’s definately a time to reflect in how fortunate we are.
This is a great post. Thanks for hosting #blogger-club-uk 🙂
Yes, that’s my Christmas too – it’s very family orientated (including the close friends I think of as family). It does make you see how lucky we really are, and giving something back can make a huge difference to someone less fortunate 🙂
It’s so refreshing to read a post about general giving and kindness rather than just- as you say- gift guides! (i am guilty of writing one myself too). It is easy to get caught up in the materalistic side of xmas but if everyone did just one of the things on your list so many people could be made happy. I will certainly be trying to do at least one. #BloggerClubUK
Thank you 🙂 I hope a lot of people will do something off the list, or something else they can think of 🙂
This is so lovely. Sometimes we get so carried away with shopping and gifts that we forget about the things that could really make a difference. Thanks for reminding me! #bloggerclubuk
Yes, it can be easy to get caught up in the rushing about and forget about all the good intentions we had!
Great ideas, small gestures often mean so much. At my local supermarket there is a trolley set up for donations to the local food bank. Next time I go I will remember to buy an extra something.
#BloggerClubUK
Helen x
Yes, ours is the same and I always try to buy a little something extra for it x
Love those ideas. Giving and helping others doesn’t have to be a big thing which is hard to do (and therefore probably doesn’t get done).
All the little things add up if everyone does them.
#BloggerClubUK
Thank you 🙂 I completely agree – if you look at doing things that are big enough to be overwhelming, it just doesn’t happen, but the little, doable things do get done and they can make a big difference.
Really lovely post! I love all your ideas especially that one which can do a difference like donating toys etc
#BloggerClubUK
Thank you 🙂
Debbie a really thoughtful post with some great ideas for making a difference to other people’s lives. #BloggerClubUK
Thank you 🙂
Some great ideas here, it’s important to think of others less fortunate than ourselves at this time of year. I recently bought a homeless person two hot cornish pasties, I’ve never seen anyone more grateful for hot food. It made me feel good about myself, for such a small price.
How lovely. A small gesture can make such a huge difference to someone in this situation, and remind someone that they do matter!
Hahha I feel you on the gift guides; first of all I found it helpful as inspiration but now well…
Last year I really wanted to volunteer at a homeless shelter but hubby wasn’t too keen with me being pregnant. This year I want to send presents to a kids charity like banardos or something!
#bloggerclubUK
I’m glad I’m not the only one that feels about meh about gift guides by now lol! That’s a lovely idea 🙂
Popping back from #anythinggoes
Lovely and thanks for the good bank reminder #bloggerclubuk
Thank you 🙂
Such lovely ideas. I try to always smile at strangers. I can’t help it. I make eye contact with someone and instinctively I smile! I hope it makes a difference in some people’s day, even though a lot of them don’t smile back! #bloggerclubuk
Thank you 🙂 I do too – if you meet someone’s eye, it just seems like the right thing to do. If they don’t smile back, they’re the miserable ones not us haha!
Ya the holiday gift guide. I’ve yet to write one – this or last year. No guarantee one won’t crop up someday but I hear ya! They are everywhere!! It’s really good to give back at Christmas time! #BloggerClubUK x
They seem like a good idea at first but then they end up everywhere! It really is x
Reading this made me think that buying in bulk can actually be cheaper. You know the 3 for 2 offers etc. What if you were to put that third thing to a good cause? #bloggerclubuk.
That’s a fab idea – it can definitely help people in need and it doesn’t even cost us anything extra!
What a heart-warming post (in the end!… lol) Earlier this year we had a couple of pizza slices in our doggy bag, walked past a man in a doorway and we gave it to him. Not only did it make his day, it also taught our 7 year and important lesson. It wasn’t Christmas but we still did some good. #Bloggerclubuk
Lol it took a while to get there didn’t it haha! That’s lovely and I agree that it’s still lovely to help at any time not just Christmas
Great ways that we can be examples of kindness for our kids.
#anythinggoes
Thank you 🙂
I do find the gift guides helpful most of the time but yes, there are a LOT of them around! Lovely examples of ways we can help out others there. #AnythingGoes
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good gift guide, but sometimes it gets a bit stale writing them 🙂
I am guilty of falling into the gift guide trap, I love these ideas instead 🙂 x #bloggerclubuk
Me too! Thank you 🙂
Great post that’s got me thinking. Helping others at this time of year is a great example for kids as it takes the focus away from ‘what do they want’ and makes it more ‘what can they do for others’. Am going to work on this angle with my grandkids.
Thanks for posting. Definitely better than a gift guide lol
#AnythingGoes
Thank you 🙂 I think most children actually enjoy giving something back, it’s just that they maybe wouldn’t think of it without someone helping them out with ideas. I hope you all have fun giving something back 🙂
You caught me! I’ve done a gift guide (guilty – and it’s linked here!) Though it’s about gender neutral toys I would actually buy for my kids. (And I have bought some!). But I love the sentiment of your post. You are so right, it is a time to think about others less fortunate than ourselves, rather than the full on consumerism – thanks so much for the much-needed reminder. #bloggerclubUK
I did a couple myself too which is what got me thinking about this. Love the idea of gender neutral toys.
I love the ideas you offered for giving back and being kind to others. Isn’t that what the season is about?! Lovely!
#AnythingGoes
Thank you 🙂 It really is!
reading this the second time i am even more inspired to spread some cheer, whether it be by donating time or products, or simply trying to be happier around everyone! #AnythingGoes
I’m so glad to hear this has inspired you – being happier around everyone is fantastic it makes everyone feel so much better 🙂
Love this post. We’ve been tying to hit as many food drives as we can this season. And I still have never written a gift guide! #anythinggoes
Thank you 🙂 That’s brilliant, sounds like you are helping out a lot of people!
Gift guides usually make me eye roll! Lmao. Love your ideas about making a difference. Happy holidays & thank you for sharing!
Haha, me too after so long! Thank you, have a good one!
I know how you feel about gift guides..I’ve written a couple in the past but not going to bother anymore as I rarely read ones written by other bloggers so why should I expect them to read mine? I love your ideas for sharing a bit if festive cheer and next time I’m in the shop on will buy a few things for the food bank trolley xx #anythinggoes
I like reading them at first, then I just get sick of seeing them! Great Wendy 🙂 x