Put Your Merry Where Your Mouth is

Hi Friends!
For those of you who follow this blog (all...7 of you) you may have noticed that I've been M.I.A. This is due in part to the fact that I've been working on the tree adoptions this season for The Living Christmas Company. It's a crazy job, but somebody has to do it, and who's crazier than me? Don't answer that. (I can see you out there...shaking your heads..."Nope, can't think of anyone...")
I do feel a little bad about cutting my "Christmas List" short, but what was I thinking? Maybe next year I'll write it up in...June. That could work. 
The other thing I did, which you may have seen on my Facebook page was to have a "Giving Get Together". Remember I said I wanted to? This is a great season to follow through on things. I know it's hard. Believe me, I've been typing like a nervous Marconi operator in a sinking ship. The emails flood in faster than I can answer them. Of course that may be because there's about 300 adoption customers and one of me, but I digress.  Honestly, I'm having a great time. I love seeing the names people have picked out for their trees, and sometimes they even tell me the story behind it.

The point is, that once in a while. you have to take a break. I chose to throw a party of sorts, and at the same time, I invited everyone to help make Christmas cards for our military. You might think, wow, I'm invited to go to a party and you want me to...what? I'll tell you what, whatever anyone thought coming to my house that day, they left with smiles on their faces. They started by telling me that they didn't have a creative bone in their body and by the end of the night they were picking up what they'd just made saying "Hey, this one's not bad!"  I mean seriously, how often do we (adults) get to do arts and crafts?
Now the kids...they don't worry about perfection. One little girl who came made about 10 cards I think. She went to town! The great thing is that when you get a homemade card, especially from a child, but even from an adult, you aren't thinking "Wow, I guess it's okay, but they colored outside the lines right there, and oh, there's a smudge of glue stick by the corner." No, you look at it and know that someone took the time to make something JUST FOR YOU. It was made from the heart...and was offered in hopes that it would touch yours.
So Friends, put your Merry were your mouth is. Make it your goal, even if it's just for one day, to make someone, somewhere, smile. Make a card for a soldier, call up a friend, donate to a food drive, or just be patient with the crazy elf on the phone...she's doing the best she can. 

Merry, Merry


Care'n Presents

I Told You I Was Still Looking

Actually, this one was a matter of remembering. I found this organization a while back, so I had to look it up again, but it's really a great one.  Previously, I was telling you to find a good cause that you can donate some time to this Christmas. Well, this is one that I love.
It's called Soldier's Angels, and their mission states: "May No Soldier Go Unloved". There are different levels of giving. They have suggestions for items you can send that will go into stockings for the troops. They also have a program where you can adopt a soldier and send them packages and letters on a monthly basis. It's like with the Operation Christmas Cards program, they encourage the personal touch.

https://soldiersangels.org/

 

Day 60 (yes, that means only 2 more months!!)   Check out this website. Maybe it's something you'd want to do, maybe not, but see how you can spread a little love around either way.

 

Merry, Merry!

 

Care'n Presents

A Giving Get-Together

I haven't had much time in the last couple of days to look for worthy causes, but rest assured, I'm still trying. Meanwhile, I started thinking about "Operation Christmas Cards" that I talked about yesterday, and I'm really excited about it. So on my list of things to do...

Day 69 - Plan a "Giving Get-Together".  I want to have a little party to make Christmas Cards to send in! It's always more fun doing arts and crafts with friends and family. Even people who wouldn't normally do that sort of thing will be more inclined to do it in a group. Come up with a few easy designs that anyone could put together, give everyone instructions and then, have at it. Be creative!   Then brainstorm about things to write on the inside. It's hard sometimes to come up with something to write to someone you've never met, but again, if it's a group endeavor it becomes fun. Have some coffee and cookies (or for you healthy people:  water and veggies).  If you have any old Christmas cards that you can recycle, or other items that can be reused, all the better. One person's scraps of colored paper might be just the accent on someone else's card. It could be a challenge: to avoid any leftover materials!

 

So make a plan to give this Christmas in anyway you can, and invite your friends to join you!!


Merry Merry!!

Care'n Presents

Still looking...

Okay, remember yesterday I said I was going to look for a "cause", well I'm still looking, but I did find something really cool so that's what I'm putting on my list today.

Day 70 - Operation Christmas Cards. You may have seen the post I asked Scotty Claus if I could put on our Facebook page, but in case you didn't, let me tell you about it.
Since many of our troops get limited mail, and Christmas is a tough time to be away from home as it is, this is a program to send heartfelt cards to those who are serving our country.  Home-made cards are encouraged over store bought, but either is okay. The whole program is spelled out on their site, so check it out:

http://www.operationchristmascard.org/Participation_Info.html

















I can't wait to get my crayons out, and my scissors and glue...I'm thinking I can even recycle parts of old cards and sparkle them up with glitter or something.  Then I'll write a nice letter saying Merry Christmas and thanking them for the job they do. I'm so excited about this, my pointy ears are twitching!!  Hope you send a few too! The address is on the site. Have fun and make a soldier's holidays a little more cheerful.

Merry Merry!

Care'n Presents