One Happy Tradition

December has some special traditions/tasks around everyone's house.  One of ours is a year-end Christmas gift.  We finish our gifts to the church, to special ministries like UMCOR, a gift to Haiti relief, and a couple of charities we've supported for a long time.

Then, we have the "family collection" from all our extended family.  We go to the Heifer Project website.  Based on what different parts of our family put in, we pick a gift for subsistence farmers.  I like their plan, because they require gift recipients to share the gift, giving away seeds, or the off-spring of animals, passing on the help and creating a network of people helping people.

We make four cards for the grand-children to read at Christmas lunch.  This year we give bees, ducks, chickens, trees and one extra wild card (a pig) as a thanksgiving and gift for others.  As a gardener, I truly enjoy doing this for someone else!

As a Methodist, I like contributing through the regular budget for missions, for the American Bible Society, for colleges and universities, for evangelism, and to support pastors in sometimes impoverished situations, and all the rest.  There are lots of things to feel good about in this Christmas season.

Heifer Project is just a personal one that colors the celebration in fine ways for us.

I hope you have happy traditions when your family gathers, as well.

Blessings for all your celebrations.