Alternative Ways to Celebrate Special Events and Holidays ’And he puzzled three hours,Till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!
'Maybe Christmas,’ he thought, doesn’t come from a store.
‘Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more!’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” By Dr. Suess - Offer to take a relative’s or friend’s children shopping or babysit while he or she shops.
- Offer a particular talent such as photography, gardening or car washing.
- Make a homemade dinner and deliver it to recipient’s house.
- Remember those who cannot get home for the holidays. Invite them to spend some time with your family and friends. Encourage them to share holiday celebrations from their culture. Call the International Programs office (ext. 2920) to find out who will be around.
- Make an audio or video tape for someone who is far away who would love to hear from you.
- Make a coupon for services you are willing to provide, to be redeemed when the recipient needs them within a specified time period.
- Send a photo instead of a card.
- Put together a little book of favorite family recipes.
- Offer to teach someone a skill you possess: swing dancing, riding a bike, using a computer or knitting.
- Sign someone up for lessons in a sport, a language or a musical instrument.
- Sponsor a child refugee, support a homeless shelter or protect an acre of a rainforest.
- Donate to a NPO in the name of a friend or family member.
For Example: An Option for Wedding Favors
Please read the sharing of one of the Loyola Campus Ministry's staff members:
" When we were planning our wedding, my husband Andrew and I decided that we didn’t want to give favors to our guests. It seemed to us that wedding favors are briefly admired, but then either lost or discarded. We had been to a number of weddings where the bride and groom donated the money they would have spent on favors to a favorite non-profit organization, and we decided to do the same. We donated money in honor of our wedding guests to the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, an organization committed to the ideals of community, spirituality, simplicity and social justice. Andrew and I were both Jesuit Volunteers, and the experience had a profound effect on us. Our guests were pleased, and we felt much better about putting money toward something truly meaningful to both of us. We hope that our donation will contribute at least in part to a life-changing experience for a new generation of JVs." ~ Emily Rauer Davis
- Slow down! Allot double the amount of time that you think it will take to do something.
- Ask family and friends to share their favorite Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwaanza memories. As you gather to celebrate the holidays, when sitting around, ask each person to begin a sentence with “I am glad that…” Have everyone respond, “We are glad!”
- Remember your blessings: Think of all the joyous things that have happened to you/your family this year. Offer a prayer of thanks.
- Take someone for a ride to see the holiday decorations around town.
- Start a new tradition this year, add more the next. This way, you’ll slowly– but pesistentlybuild a tradition of simpler, less stressful and more meaningful celebrations that everyone can enjoy.
- 5 million extra tons of trash are produced each year between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day in the United States
- 2.62 billion Christmas cards are bought each year in the U.S.
- Average number of months it takes a credit card holder to pay off holiday debt: 6
- 92% in a nationwide poll feel that Americans spend more than they can afford
- 84% would prefer a less materialistic holiday, with greater emphasis on things that money can’t buy
- 55% say they plan to simplify their holiday celebrations
Sources: The Center for a New American Dream; State of Oklahoma | 
