I’m so excited to share what we’ve been up to this week! As a family, we wanted to come up with a service project that we could do to help others this season. We came up with the idea of creating holiday dinner Christmas gift baskets and anonymously leaving them on doorsteps.
It’s easy for kids to focus on what they’re going to get for Christmas this time of year while us adults focus on the neverending list of things we need to get done. I wanted us to put the focus on others instead of on ourselves, and I knew that putting together these baskets would help with that!
Besides not having a voice most of the week and being sick, we managed to shop for three different families and put together three Christmas gift baskets. I wanted to include a holiday dinner in each basket, so we bought three sets of food that would make a delicious holiday dinner.
We bought three hams, red and white potatoes, organic fresh carrots, red pears, green pears, oranges, stuffing mixes, some baguettes, brownie mixes, three bottles of sparkling apple cider, and some candy canes to garnish the baskets.
I wanted our Christmas gift baskets to look traditional and beautiful. I wanted the recipients to feel loved and cared for and to feel the spirit of Christmas when they found the baskets on their doorsteps.
I searched and searched for just the right baskets and found some lovely large baskets with a red plaid lining inside and two handles at Michaels. They were perfect!
The baskets were somewhat deep, so I needed some filler to add to the bottom of each basket so the food could be seen. I crumpled up some kraft paper and placed it in the bottom of each basket.
A few days ago I got a bunch of Christmas tree trimmings for free from the Christmas tree lot for decorating with. These made the perfect basket filler too!
The pine trimmings added natural beauty and color, gave some added height, and covered up the kraft paper underneath.
Next I added all the food in. The bigger things, like the ham, sparkling apple cider, and the brownie and stuffing mixes, went in the back of the basket.
I wanted the baskets to look classy and nice without any cardboard packaging, so I put each brownie mix into a glass mason jar with some thick pretty plaid ribbon on top.
The cornbread mix was put inside of large muslin drawstring bags. Both the brownie and cornbread mix directions were placed in the basket underneath the food.
When shopping for the baskets I found some beautiful old-fashioned Santa decorations that I fell in love with. I added one to each basket. I love his sweet expression!
Before delivering the baskets anonymously as a family, I wrote a card to each family we were giving the baskets to, wishing them a merry Christmas.
The deliveries went smoothly, and the kids took turns getting out of the car, placing the baskets on the doorsteps, then ringing the doorbell and running to the car quickly so we could drive away before getting caught. I don’t think anyone spotted us. Mission accomplished!
I’m so grateful we were able to put together these baskets and help others this Christmas. We have so much to be thankful for, and it’s always nice to be reminded that it truly is better to give than to receive.
If you’d like to help #lighttheworld this Christmas, you can find daily prompts and ideas for helping others HERE. It’s a great way to spread Christmas cheer and teach our children about the spirit of giving.
Merry Christmas!
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