THE SEASON OF GIVING

Ahh the season of giving! Its much more fun to give, than it is to receive. Sometimes its hard to teach our little ones that. Giving or sharing a toy can provide happiness for someone else, and that’s an amazing gift to give someone. But you cannot give what you don’t have. We are going to discuss things that can be given to others, that don’t cost a penny!  ​

Time: 
Some people may say, “Time is Money.” We try to live by a different motto, “Time isn’t guaranteed, so spend it with those you love.” Give your children or family members your time this holiday season. Watch a Christmas movie, play a game, build a gingerbread house, decorate the tree, etc. Just spend time together, because now more than ever it is easy to recognize that time together can be taken from us at any moment. 
Patience: 
Give your patience in those stressful moments when it seems like everything isn’t going your way. Take a breath and deal with the annoyances, delays, rejections and setbacks without losing your cool. Patience isn’t always waiting or being passive. Patience is something we all can struggle with at times, but if you consciously work on it, its easy to understand that it is critical to moving towards your dreams and goals.  
Gratitude: 
People give when they are grateful for what they have.  Around Thanksgiving and Christmas we really emphasize being thankful when in reality we all have a lot to be thankful for year-round. Around these holidays, we come together with humor and love, but gratitude reigns supreme. Showing your gratitude for family members, strangers, teachers, everyday heroes, etc. can change someone’s life. Gratitude can be internal with a positive thought, or external like thanking a spouse. At times we can get caught up in the fast pace society we live in and can take things for granted. Take a moment this holiday season, and show your gratitude for the people in your lives.