I recently read an op-ed column in The New York Times (Nov 14, 2015 – Gifts with Meaning) that discussed the many options of using charitable giving as a different twist to regular holiday gift giving. For many people, the idea of giving (time, treasure or talent) becomes even more present the end of the year. Giving a year-end gift to support a specific program or just the overall mission o fa charity is a great way to honor someone you love.
Each year, my family incorporates charitable giving in our holiday plans. We adopt a family through a local health and human services agency to purchase holiday gifts. We always try to pick a family with children the same age as our children if possible. That way my three young daughters get to help pick out the gifts. In addition, we decide together on one thing that we are going to forgo for three to four months to “save” the money to purchase the gifts for our adopt-a-family. This year it was no salon manicures or pedicures for four months. I am hoping that this helps teach my girls that one does need to sacrifice something in order to give. . But that the feeling in return more than makes up for the sacrifice.
What traditions do you have at the year-end? Do you celebrate a holiday that centers on gift giving or does your family carve out special time that isn’t normally there to spend together? Whatever the tradition you hold, I hope this year, it includes Joslyn. Come for a visit, drop a donation in the box at the entrance, or make a more formal year-end gift to the Museum via our website. As a community arts organization, accessible to all, we appreciate the gifts we can offer and all that we are so fortunate to receive.
Hillary Nather-Detisch, Director of Development