Giving Tuesday

So you haven’t heard about Giving Tuesday? Your not alone, it was a new term to me too. What it is, is a movement to create an international day of giving on the Tuesday after thanksgiving at the beginning of the Christmas and holiday season.
The reason it caught my interest is because I have struggled with the materialism surrounding the holiday season in the past. I have always hated Christmas shopping and maintained that if you can’t think of anything to put on your list, then you probably don’t need much of anything. It saddens me to see everyone running around spending money they don’t have on things that other people don’t need. The magic of Christmas for me is not what is under the tree, but who is around it. 

A few years ago I was trying to make the dreaded annual Christmas lists for my kids, who really didn’t need anything. This is what I ended up writing instead and delivered to our family on behalf of my boys. 

As the season approaches

Of sugar plums dancing in our dreams

We can’t help but notice that

Our house is bursting at the seams! 

We are digging out decorations

And preparing for all the cheer

Because tradition does demand

Many things this time of year

‘On the naughty or the nice list?’ 

Mom and Dad have gave their warning

We do look so forward to opening

Some gifts on Christmas morning

But we do share a room

Which also holds ALL our STUFF

So we kindly ask you to consider size

(or Mom might say ‘enough!’)

As for Mom and Dad

They also love what Christmas brings

Family, friends and eggnog

But they don’t need any more things.

We talked about giving differently this year

And they asked us if we’ve heard

That someone, somewhere might need our help

And could we spread the word….

A 9 year old in Africa

Whose only toy is a stick

A young Mother in Toronto

Who can’t work because she’s sick

A 4 month old in Honduras 

Whose only bed is a mat 

An orphan in Mongolia

That froze her ears without a hat

So here we are asking you

Look around a little this year

So many people could use a hand 

It seems so crystal clear!

Not only far, but close to home

It doesn’t take much to see

Please find a special way to give

Instead of a gift under our tree.

This was never meant to be shared with anyone other than our family but it seemed fitting to include with this post. 

I haven’t found much time to write lately but when I stumbled across the idea of #GivingTuesday I decided it was a worthy of finding a few moments. Is there anyone on your list that has you stumped? No time to shop? Send a donation in their name to one of my favorite causes or charities listed below. Even if you have all of your gifts bought, after a weekend full of Black Friday’s and Cyber Monday’s I think we all need a ‘Giving Tuesday’ to help us get into the spirit. 

1) Farm Food and Care. This is a Canadian organization that works to connect dinner plates to farm gates. Their goal is to collaborate, communicate, and engage with Canadian  consumers. It is a grassroots organization doing great things for consumer/producer communication. 

http://www.realdirtblog.ca/what-giving-tuesday-is-all-about/ 

Click here to give 

2) AgChat. This organization is run 99% by volunteers. It’s goal is to provide all people involved in agriculture the tools to tell their story. Follow along with the #AgChat conversation on Twitter Tuesday’s at 6:00 CST. 

http://agchat.org/ 

Click here to give. 
3) The Lighthouse in Saskatoon, SK. The Lighthouse operates the Cameco Community Kitchen, which provides meals to the wider community, for anybody who is in need of an evening meal.

Click here to give 

4) Food Banks of Saskatchewan. Self explanatory. With the downturn in our economy over the last year or more, usage of food banks is increasing. 

5) World Vision. This is one of my favorites because you can purchase seeds or livestock to help families become more self sufficient. I have given many World Vision donations as Christmas gifts in the past. 

http://www.worldvision.ca/

5) Wadena Food Bank. For my local readers. You can contact me directly for information about donating to the food bank or to the ‘stuff the bus’ Kin Club food drive. 

Here for more information. 

Don’t think you can pull off a donation this time of year? Find a non monetary way to give. Volunteer at a local seniors center or donate some old holiday decorations or clothing to a shelter. Tuesday November 29th is a great opportunity to celebrate the simple joy of the season by giving. 

 Photo Credits; 

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Kelvinsong 
https://www.flickr.com/people/45270502@N0
Thomas Bresson https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:ComputerHotline