Adopting a family for Christmas

Every December, I make it a point to help a family for Christmas. It could be giving them money to buy Christmas gifts or helping them get a tree or even giving gifts to their kids. But this year, I got an idea for something to do to help a family that’s struggling.

Earlier this month, I was chatting with someone on Facebook who shared with me that they were having some financial problems. The way it looked, they wouldn’t be able to get their kids any Christmas presents. I soon made it my mission to get some presents for the children.

Well, while I was out shopping with Jennifer today – so that she could buy Christmas gifts for her friends – an idea struck. Why not buy gifts for the mom and dad that we were helping, too? Just get gifts for the whole family!

In other words, “adopt” them for Christmas.

When I was a kid, my family struggled every Christmas. I’m the third of seven children so it’s not like there was a whole lot of money available for Christmas. My family struggled a lot so Christmases were hard. But some years, my family would be “adopted” and some other people got us Christmas gifts.

I was thinking today, why not do that this year? I could just buy a Christmas present for everyone in a family!

I shared this idea with Jennifer and she thought it was a good one. So we “adopted” this family for Christmas and got them all a gift. I felt so great about doing this that I told Jen, “I want to do this every year!”

So that’s going to be a new Christmas tradition for us. And we already know what family we plan to adopt next year!

A Christmas miracle

At the beginning of each month, I put together a budget plan to manage my finances. This plan covers rent and the first week of groceries for that month, as well as school-related payments, other assorted monthly payments and gas for my car. My husband and I both have a monthly income, so he takes care of the other monthly expenses. This plan has worked well so far, except that it didn’t really allow for any “surprise expenses.” (That will change once I start using a new budget plan next year.)

And that was a problem for this month, because, yeah, a "surprise expense" did come up.

Earlier in the month, I was thrown into a group activity: A “secret Santa” fundraiser for a friend. Basically, there was a call put out for donated gifts (toys for the children) and money the family could use for Christmas presents. I wanted to help, but I just hadn’t set aside any money for this type of thing. The money I DID have set aside was for the Christmas Cookie Run that my daughter and I will be doing soon, but not for this. So I was pretty bummed about that.

I shared this situation with my husband and Jennifer. They decided to donate their own money to this cause. I was so touched they wanted to help out a complete stranger so that she could have a nice Christmas for her family, it brought tears to my eyes. I was just so moved.

So once they handed over their money, I made the donation to the Secret Santa fundraiser. I was just so happy that we were able to help this family. Coming from a large family where my parents struggled to buy us gifts every Christmas, and one Christmas when a whole fire department “adopted” us and got us gifts, I know just how much it means being a kid and receiving the generosity and kindness from strangers. I know, Christmas isn’t about the presents and it’s more about being together as a family, but when you’re a kid and it’s Christmas, it’s still nice to find a present just for you under the tree.

I am glad my friend’s children will be able to do the same.

(Sidenote: I want to mention the fundraiser ended today and the coordinators reached their goal and raised over $1,000 for this family. Yay!)