‘Tis the season to give. During this time of year, many people are talking about buying presents to give, but we have so much more to give than just the things we buy. Often, the more creative and thoughtful things mean so much more than something you pick up on a shelf. So this top 10 is going to help us give meaningfully.
10.) Make your own Christmas cards. It is a way to get into the spirit of the season and show people you care.
9.) Make cookies and give them to the shut-ins.
8. ) Volunteer your time and energy to community projects. There are tons of projects to help the less fortunate during this time, so get involved.
7.) Give your time. I know you’re busy, but so is everyone else––so give some of your free time to others to help them have some free time. Baby-sit some of the children from church so their parents can do some Christmas shopping or planning without having to worry about their children.
6.) Give your love. Show your family how much you love them by helping them out in special ways––show them you appreciate them.
5.) Give to the youth. As one of the older girls at church or in your neighborhood, do something with the younger girls to encourage them. Hint: Do number 9 on this list––make cookies and take them to shut-ins together.
4.) Give the gift of prayer. Pray for all the less fortunate during this time (and all year long).
3.) Give your knowledge. Right now is nearing the end of the semester and everyone has tests coming up––help everyone, and yourself, by studying with others.
2.) Give your joy. When you’re in a joyful mood, it can help others be in a joyful mood.
1.) Give God’s word. Share God’s word with everyone you see––people are more open to it during this time.
-Kim Cook
Many Christians are divided on how the Christmas holiday should be celebrated. Some people celebrate Christmas as Christ’s birth; some feel that it’s wrong to celebrate Christmas at all; and others are somewhere in between. Growing up, I can remember the topic arising and the argument being made that because Christmas is not substantiated biblically, we should reject it. I think many people assume they understand the meaning behind the holiday, without looking up its background for themselves.
evidence suggests that His birth may have occurred in the spring, Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by AD 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the end of the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread all the way to Scandinavia.
The holiday season is upon us. Let the decorating, baking, list making, shopping, wrapping, hiding, cooking, eating, and singing begin! Sounds like fun, right? But, why do we do it? Because everyone does it? Because we have always done it? Because we like to receive gifts? The answer is probably yes to all three. But the best reason is because we like to give!
When we think of giving, we usually think of putting money in the contribution plate at church, or giving a gift to a friend or family member. This kind of giving is good and makes us happy. But the Bible shows us examples of several different kinds of giving. Let’s look at some of them and see if we can get an idea of how we can be more giving in our lives.
Luke 21:1: “And he [Jesus] looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, ‘Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury [poverty] hath cast in all the living that she had.’” The widow who gave two mites was blessed more than the rich who gave more, because she gave all she had, and the rich only gave a tiny portion of their wealth. The widow’s giving was a true sacrifice, as was David’s in 2 Samuel 24:24. Jesus is trying to teach us that we don’t have to give a large amount to the church to be pleasing to God or to receive the blessings that come from giving. This widow knew the truth about giving––that God will provide for a cheerful giver in a way that will eventually allow them to give more! As you grow and enter into the working world, make giving to the church first on your list of priorities. You will never regret it.
How many gifts do you think you’ll receive this Christmas? A dozen? Two dozen? More? Although receiving gifts is not what this season should be about, it is sad to think about the many children who will not get to experience the innocent, pure joy of finding gifts under the tree on Christmas morning. I’m sure that most of us have never had to wake up to a room void of gifts on this most memorable of mornings. We often don’t even have to worry about not getting that most coveted gift we’ve been thinking about for months—it’s usually there, waiting for us. But do we ever pause to think about the quiet disappointment that fills so many houses every Christmas? Not the disappointment of not finding that treasured gift among the other twenty, but of not even expecting a single gift at all.
When you are finished shopping, package the items however the sponsor wishes, and, most importantly, return them with your angel paper back to the appropriate location on time. If you toss or lose the angel paper in the process of shopping, there will be no way for the sponsor to locate which child you’ve shopped for (although they do often write down your name and the angel’s ID number when you select it).
This month’s theme is “Pierce my heart to give.” If you’re like most young women, you’re probably thinking, I’d like to give, but what can I do? There are a lot of great ideas for giving back, not only in 
Shop sales. Ask your mom, or another experienced bargain shopper, to help you find good deals and sales on Christmas items. You can also scan your local paper for deals. If you’re pressed for time, 
Breakfast Ideas:
The holidays are a time when many of us are with our families. I know that some of us have lost people who we’re very close to, often making this time of year a season of mixed feelings. There are also some families who are unable to, or aren’t interested in, volunteering time or money to those in need. If that is the case in your home, ask friends to join you in one or more of these activities, or join a friend’s family as they volunteer to share their blessings, because this time of year is a perfect time to round up your family or friends and give. This year, choose to contribute money or time to help others have a memorable season, which in turn is giving back to God 
The theme for this month is “pierce my heart to give.” And I really had to ask myself what health and fitness had to do with giving. But I finally came up with an answer: time. All of you have heard of projects such as 
1. Each day I’ll do a golden deed
It tastes good
Complete this phrase: Christmas ______________________.
Set aside money. If you receive an allowance, have a job, or receive a check from grandma in the mail, put a set amount aside so you can give to others, as we’re 
As we approach the end of the year, many of us are busy with preparations for parties, trips, and a break from school. Although you’ll be busy, I hope you’ll continue to read each day. This month would be a great time to prepare for the newness of January, and the start of a new Bible reading schedule. I recommend reading some passages on giving, since that is this month’s theme. Psalms is also a great place to go, since it touches on so many areas––thankfulness, distress, fear, and joy, to name a few. I would suggest asking for a Bible concordance for Christmas. This will help you in the coming year’s study of the Bible by directing you to scriptures on certain topics and people.
Dec 8:
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