Create Twelve Days of Truly Meanigful Gifts

We're all familiar with the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas." The idea that your true love would give you turtle doves, or a partridge in a pear tree, or maids a-milking, or lords a-leaping sounds magical to modern ears. The origins of the song, go back to pagan rituals, and the message is about giving elaborate gifts.

    Rather than twelve days of roasting partridges, buying golden rings, or hiding piping pipers, think about creating twelve days of meaningful gifts that are more in keeping with the spirit of the season. Be sure to include your kids in this process. Here are some ideas:


• On the first day of Christmas, give up a grudge you've been carrying against another person. Make an effort to reconcile.
  
  
• On the second day of Christmas, make one person's life brighter. Greet a neighbor, give an elderly person a hand with bags, or give an employee an extra hour off at lunch.
  
  
• On the third day of Christmas, rake a neighbor's yard or shovel the snow off her walkway.
  
  
• On the fourth day of Christmas, take the entire day off from nagging your kids. No "pick up your toys," "make your bed," "do your homework." You can include your mate in this gift, too. You can also ask your kids to take the day off from nagging.
  
  
• On the fifth day of Christmas, give the gift of goodwill. Let someone go ahead of you in line or cut in front of you in a traffic jam. Wave and give them a pleasant smile.
  
  
• On the sixth day of Christmas, put your spare change in the Salvation Army basket or give a couple of dollars to a homeless person.
  
  
• On the seventh day of Christmas, take five minutes and send a silent blessing to all the peoples of the world.
  
  
• On the eighth day of Christmas, fill a grocery basket with simple foods and necessities like bread, cheese, pasta, soap, lightbulbs, and the like, and delver it "From Santa" to an elderly shut-in.
  
  
• On the ninth day of Christmas, rather than sending Christmas cards, reflect on a positive lesson you learned during the past year, write a note about it, and mail it to family and friends.
  
  
• On the tenth day of Christmas, smile at everyone you meet.
  
  
• On the eleventh day of Christmas, help serve dinner at an eldercare center.
  
  
• On the twelfth day of Christmas, say a fervent prayer for peace on earth.