Alternative Holiday Activities for the Common Good

The holidays are a time to gather with friends and family, but Rev. Lucy Kelly, director of faith and spiritual life for Otterbein University, suggests there are some other ways to celebrate the season of giving.  

Kelly serves as associate pastor at Church of the Master United Methodist in Westerville. Along with Steve Perry, a campus ministry volunteer at the church, she compiled this list for everyone to consider.

• Invite a local elderly individual or couple to your home who might otherwise spend the day alone.
• Adopt a resident at a local senior living center for the day.
• Invite a local college student who can’t get home for the holiday to share dinner with you.
• Invite a colleague who might otherwise be alone to dine with your family.
• Organize a free dinner or food/gift drive at your church for local individuals and families.
• Donate food or presents to a local shelter for homeless teens or adults.
• Volunteer at a local shelter, food pantry, church, or other organization.
• Visit seniors at a local senior living facility. Bring treats, share stories, and listen to their stories. (Loneliness is a significant issue for many.)
• Send cards or letters to people you know who might be alone for the holiday.
• Youth Drop-In centers for unhoused young people are in desperate need of food – find one locally (like Star House) and offer to prepare a meal for them near the holidays.
• Ask your holiday guests to bring a “community need” to the table and discuss with one another how you might be able to help fulfill those needs, or how you might have a connection to resources to help with those needs.
• Ask guests to bring any clothes or winter coats (in good condition) that they are ready to donate and take the load together to a local free store.
• Make plans at to commit to one cause in the new year (as individuals or as a family)
• Host a prayer walk to not only enjoy nature, but to connect with one another and with God.
• Put together holiday sack lunches and drive around to see if unhoused people are in their usual spots, offer them lunch and kind conversation.
• Put together resource bags (snacks, small toiletries, business cards/flyers of resources, some cash) with your guests and encourage them to keep them in their cars for when they see people with signs on streets and want to give something.