By Ken Satterfield
Word&Way
Word&Way
Party It Forward (snipurl.com/PartyItForward): Based on the “Pay It Forward” book by Catherine Ryan Hyde and the accompanying movement (payitforwardfoundation.org). Throw a party and ask people to support a worthy cause instead of bringing gifts.
Buy Nothing Christmas (buynothingchristmas.org): A Mennonite movement offering a stress-relieving alternative to a commercial Christmas. Includes a poster, stories, resources and many alternative ideas.
Christmas Gathering (campuscrusade.com): Host a gathering of friends to share the true meaning of Christmas.
Love Your Neighborhood (LoveYourNeighnorhood.com): Products for sale to encourage neighborhood events, including a front yard Christmas pageant or a Christmas tea.
Generous Giving (GenerousGiving.org): Encouragement and tools to encourage you to experience the joy of giving through life and resource stewardship.
JustGive (www.justgive.org): Tools and services to make charitable giving part of our everyday lives.
Servant Evangelism projects (serve-others.com): Steve Sjorgen suggests a variety of projects including those related to the Christmas season, such as Christmas gift-wrapping. You can also subscribe to a free Serve e-zine.
Write a note: If you’re handy with a pen (or a keyboard), tell someone what they mean to you. Write a poem. List how they make a difference. And, don’t limit yourself to friends and family — include teachers, leaders, the postman, beautician and others.
Time-shift the holidays: Caroling, visiting seniors and shut-ins — if it works in December, why not share that same care during other times of the year?
GivingWorks: eBay allows you to sell items and donate between 10 and 100 percent of the proceeds to your favorite cause. (givingworks.ebay.com). You can also have a home or community yard with a pre-arranged cause or charity in mind.
