Today is Giving Tuesday.
You're probably not familiar with Giving Tuesday. That's okay.
You see, we live in a confusing culture. Always people talk about the "holiday spirit," as something about giving and gratitude and family. We have a holiday dedicated to gratitude... and the moment we finish the meal, we rush off in a mad dash to buy more things.
Thanksgiving now begins a whole week of conspicuous consumption- from the meal, to Black Friday, to Cyber Monday. And now, Giving Tuesday.
"The value of a man resides in what he gives and not what he is capable of receiving." - Albert Einstein
The idea behind Giving Tuesday is that in our rush to spend all sorts of money, we should take just as much care to spend it on causes, to give it away to people in need or organizations that help people, as we do to making sure we get the best deal on our new LED TV.
Today, pick a person from your gift list, and give a charitable donation in their name. Donate to a cancer foundation on behalf of a survivor, or to a veterans' aid organization on behalf of a serviceman in your life.
Even just having a conversation with your kids about giving can get the ball rolling for Giving Tuesday.
You can talk to your kids about the people in need, about issues in their own community. And you can let them choose an organization or cause to donate their own $10 to. They can learn from an early age the importance of charity.
"We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give." - Winston Churchill
I love this idea and always do this every year. There is always someone (or two or three) on the list that really does not need anything and values this type of gift just as much. Great suggestion.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea. There is no Thanksgiving in Europe, but I always try to pick a charity I like to donate something to around Christmas. I can't give a lot, but if everyone gives a little it goes a long way.
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