Twelve Days of Christmas

Since I have a little time before my thank-you note project begins, I thought I would share what our family does for the Twelve Days of Christmas.  Each year we sit down and brain storm ways we can help the world for Christmas.  Because we have a really small budget, we usually have to get creative.  Here are our plans for this year starting on Dec. 13th:

First Day of Christmas: Donate One Pint of Blood

Second Day of Christmas Two cups of Coffee sent unknowingly to the
 person behind us in the drive up lane

Third Day of Christmas Three people protesting the War in Iraq – a
 Saturday picketing event we have wanted to do

Fourth Day of Christmas Four plates of cookies to local assisted living
 home

Fifth Day of Christmas Five craft bags full of stuff for bored kids in the
 hospital delivered to the nurse station

Sixth Day of Christmas Six Bus Tokens at a bus stop

Seventh Day of Christmas Seven spring bulbs planted along the walking trail

Eighth Day of Christmas Eight apples to teachers

Ninth Day of Christmas Loving nine kitties at the cat shelter

Tenth Day of Christmas Ten balloons passed out at a Mall

Eleventh Day of Christmas Eleven anonymous Holiday wishes ~ cards on windshields

Twelfth Day of Christmas Twelve goodies for the animals by decorating an
 outside tree with edibles- like they do in one of our favorite holiday
 books: The Night Tree

My kids have loved this activity and look forward to it each year.  I think it is a lovely antidote to the seasonal consumerism.