CHRISTMAS – 4 Ways To Give Back This Christmas

Christmas is a wonderful time to share with your closest family and friends however it is also the perfect season to give back to the community. Here are 4 ways in which you can provide for others so that they can also enjoy the holiday season.

Buy An Extra Gift

The one activity that the majority of people will do is to go out and buy a whole host of Christmas presents. The sad thing is that there will be lots of people who will not receive a gift this year. This is particularly hard if you are a child. One simple thing that you can do is to add an extra gift to your shopping list and donate it to the local children’s home or hospital in your area. You could even find out if there is a specific organisation in your town that will collect extra toys and presents to give to those less fortunate. It doesn’t have to cost you too much money and it could make a world of difference to a young child.

Help in a Soup Kitchen

There are lots of churches and charitable organisations that open their doors on Christmas day in order to ensure that people from a disadvantaged background can also get a hot meal. These places are always looking for an extra pair of hands so you could volunteer your services to help out in the kitchen to cook or to help serve. If you belong to your local church your minister or priest will definitely welcome your assistance during the holiday season.

Invite An Extra Guest To Christmas Dinner

If you live in a small community where everyone knows each other you may already be aware of an individual who will be alone this Christmas. A wonderful gesture would be to open your home and your hospitality to them. This would be a great way to give back and it would be a good opportunity to find out more about the people in your area.

Give To Charity

A simple and straightforward way to give back this Christmas is to make a monetary donation to a charity of your choice. The money could make all the difference to the organisation. You could choose to donate funds to a children’s charity, an animal shelter or a research facility like Cancer Research. It doesn’t matter if your donation is a large or small amount of money as these organisations are very happy to receive whatever people can give.

This Christmas, why not make it an occasion where you can not only enjoy the holiday season with family and friends, but also help to give others a great Christmas too.

How To Prepare For Your Christmas Guests

Christmas is the time for families to come together and this can mean having to accommodate overnight guests. If you are expected a house full of guests, here are a few ways in which you can ensure that everyone has somewhere to sleep for the night.

Confirm How Many Guests Are Staying

The first thing you will need to know is how many people will actually be staying. If you have extended an invitation to quite a few members of your family and close friends, you will want to confirm how many will actually be taking up your offer. It is important to know if they are not only spending the Christmas day with you but if they are planning to spend the night too. Make sure to get in contact with everyone you have invited in order to confirm what their plans are for the holiday season.

Invest in An Inflatable Sofa

QDH air Mattress Inflatable Couch Home Air Sofa Bed

QDH air Mattress Inflatable Couch Home Air Sofa Bed

The best way to ensure that people enjoy a good night’s sleep is to invest in a convertible sofa. If you do not already have this as part of home decor, you can easily remedy this by purchasing an inflatable sofa bed. The benefit of buying a sofa version as opposed to an inflatable mattress is the fact that you will gain extra seating space. This will be a much more comfortable option instead of expecting people to sit on the floor. Most good quality inflatable sofas come equipped with an air pump so it shouldn’t take you too long to get it ready for use. Once your guests have left, you can store it away in the attic or basement and reuse it whenever you have more overnight guests.

Ask People To Bring Sleeping Bags

Sleeping Bags – TETON Sports Mammoth Queen Size Flannel Lined Sleeping Bag (94″x 62″)

Although people own enough bedding to change their own beds regularly, the majority will not have an extensive supply. It is therefore important to ask your friends and family to bring their own bedding with them. They can choose to use sleeping bags, which would be appropriate for making up a bed on the floor or for sleeping on the sofa. If they do not have sleeping bags, then thick comforters and blankets would also do the job too. You shouldn’t feel embarrassed to ask your loved ones to help out by bringing their own bedding.

Check Availability of Nearby Hotels

If you really do not have any space in your home to accommodate everyone then you should definitely find out where the nearest hotels or motels are. If you plan ahead, you may be able to negotiate a deal with the hotel manager. It is possible that they will be happy to offer a special rate for a bulk booking if you can guarantee a certain number of reservations will be made during the holiday season.

Christmas can be a very hectic time when you are entertaining a lot of people so if you figure out all the sleeping arrangements ahead of time, this is one thing that you can tick off your list.