Let me start by saying how grateful I am for my family. I have never been alone for Christmas, and I doubt I ever will be. My parents have spent quite a bit of money to bring me home for Christmas, and I am so happy they did. I did not want to be alone. Being alone is hard, but being alone while everyone else is together is the hardest. Not everyone is blessed with loved ones. So many people are alone for the holidays and they feel the weight of the loneliness especially on Christmas.
One of my favorite Christmas traditions is “letters to the lonely”. I started a few years ago after I watched my mom deliver a bag of goodies to an old widow on the snowy night of Christmas Eve. Her sacrifice truly inspired me to want to appreciate the blessings of my own home and see the needs of others in my community. I wrote a short note to the woman for mom to give to her along with the cookies.
It made me feel so good! The note made her so happy I’m sure it made her feel a tad less lonely on Christmas. I did not take all of her pain away, but I relieved a little of the lonely wait.
No one is asking you to sacrifice your Christmas Eve with your family to spend it with the young college kid who could not afford to make it home. No one is asking you to give a gift that cost you money. Here’s how it works.
Look for the needs in your community. Do you have a neighbor who lives alone? Is there a member of your church who lost his or her husband/wife and now lives alone? Are there troops from your community that will be spending the holidays away from their families?
I promise you that if you look, you will find someone along the way. Take a bit of your time to write them a letter. Wish them a merry Christmas, happy new year, and just remind them that they have people who are aware of them. They matter to you. What an amazing gift you will be giving to them!
The gift of friendship. It is something we can all give this season.
Write your own letter to the lonely and share the idea on your social media to spread love and friendship this holiday season! Best of luck from This Blue Dress!
-Madison
If you’re looking for more Christmas service ideas, consider one of these wonderful Charities. We’ll also be sharing more service posts in the next few days!
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