‘Tis the Season!

The holidays are upon us! As you drive through the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill areas there are lights everywhere you look. Whether it is the Christmas tree at Briar Creek, the holiday wreaths that line the streets of Apex, or the lights brightening the homes of Cary, we are surrounded by Holiday Cheer.

 

Regardless of religion or belief this is a season of family, friends, and happiness. From Thanksgiving through New Years the families of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill can be seen celebrating. Stores are lined with discounts, Christmas lights, and the latest and greatest toys for children to beg their parents to buy.

 

Often times we allow our children to become so wrapped up in the “want” of the holidays that we forget about the “give”. This year, we at the Nanny Boutique encourage the families of Apex, Cary, and Raleigh to teach your children the importance of giving back.

 

There are many ways to give back during the holiday season, allowing families to determine how much of a commitment they want to make. The amount of time spent “giving” is unimportant; the true magic of the season is showing children that while it is fun to receive presents, it is also fun to give back to those who are less fortunate.

 

One way to give back is to donate to Toys for Tots. This can be done in a number of ways; either by buying a toy with your child to donate, or by hosting a “Toys for Tots” party in which invitees are encouraged to bring a toy to donate for the children in need. The next step is to drop these toys off at any Toys for Tots drop site. These include the Apex Fire station, the Cary Autopark, and the Fidelity Investments in Raleigh.

 

**For a complete list of Toys for Tots drop sites in the Raleigh, North Carolina area, please visit: http://raleigh-nc.toysfortots.org/local-coordinator-sites/lco-sites/donate-toys.aspx **

 

Another way to get in the giving mood this holiday season is by picking out an “angel” from an angel tree. This allows you to purchase gifts and essentials for children who may not have the opportunity to receive gifts this holiday season. Many churches and businesses participate in Angel Trees; a few examples are St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Cary, or Edenton Street United Methodist Church in Raleigh. This is a good way to take your child out to shop for someone else, and to explain how there are some families that simply do not have the same holiday experiences as others.

 

Lastly, the whole family could take the time to volunteer at a soup kitchen or shelter. Volunteers are appreciated all year, but they are especially necessary during the holiday season, when more people are looking to spend time with other people and enjoy a hot meal. The food bank in Raleigh hosts a kids day, in which children ages 5-12 can assist in age appropriate activities.

**For more information on volunteering or donating to the Raleigh Food Bank please visit: http://www.foodbankcenc.org/site/PageServer?pagename=getinvolved_volunteer **

 

Another great place to volunteer for the whole family is the Durham Rescue Mission.

The Durham Rescue missions gives people the opportunity to donate to the Thrift Shop, donate money in order to provide meals, or donate time to serve food to those in need.

 

**For more information on volunteering or donating to the Durham Rescue Mission please visit: http://www.durhamrescuemission.org/ **

 

No matter how you choose to spend your holiday season in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, there is always an opportunity to discuss with your children the importance of giving back. There are many places to volunteer or donate, whether you live in Cary, Raleigh or Apex, and as is true in any situation, a little goes a long way.

 

Happy Holidays from those of us at the Nanny Boutique!

 

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 12th, 2013 at 3:01 pm and is filed under Raleigh Nanny & Babysitting Blog, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.