Putting a little love in your holiday gifts

Plan a Celebrate for Change party and give back for the holidays!

Some people just love shopping for the holiday season. Somehow they always seem to know the perfect places to shop and the perfect gifts to give. For me, however, finding the right present was extremely difficult. And when it came to my sister Jillian, it was almost impossible. Every year I would end up awkwardly fumbling through the women’s clothing section, searching for an item that would inevitably end up returned on December 26th.

Then, one year, I finally found a way to get her the perfect gift and make it truly memorable for both of us. 

During a semester of school overseas, I spent the holidays in London, England. For the first time in my life, I wouldn’t spend Christmas with my family and loved ones. I was really upset, but took comfort in the fact that my sister Jillian had planned a visit during the New Year.

As she finalized her plans, she kept asking me to take her to Amsterdam during her trip. “No way,” I told her, explaining that it was too far and too expensive. Both were little white lies, but with good intentions. Little did she know I had already planned the trip as a surprise belated Christmas gift!  

When I finally told my sister about the trip, she couldn’t contain her excitement. She hugged me in some sort of anaconda-like death squeeze…Sometimes gratitude hurts.

The trip was amazing—the sites and sounds were unforgettable. But, when it was all over, Jillian told me the best part was being able to spend quality time with her big brother. We will always have those few days, just her and I, to cherish for the rest of our lives.

That’s what makes the holidays so special: being able to show loved ones how much you care. A gift doesn’t have to be expensive or cost any money at all. The only thing it needs to do is show the person you care about that you’ve put some thought and love into their gift.

This year, instead of having the usual Christmas gift exchange with my friends, we’re collecting donations and throwing a Celebrate for Change holiday party to help support impoverished communities in developing countries.  

During this holiday season, remember that you, too, have the chance to make a difference in the lives of people all over the world with the gifts you choose. A thoughtful gift, wrapped in love is the greatest gift of all. 

Justin Lawrence
International Youth Coordinator

Helpful Hints from Helpful Links

Take Justin’s lead and Celebrate for Change.
Read how the gift of a cow changed one girl’s life.
Find out how your gifts can make a difference.

Free The Children is the largest network of children helping children through education in the world, with more than one million youth involved in our innovative education and development programs in 45 countries. Founded by international child rights activist Craig Kielburger, Free The Children has an established track-record of success, with three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and partnerships with the United Nations and Oprah’s Angel Network.