This holiday season is looking quite different, but the Christmas spirit of giving and generosity is still in the air.  Actually, people are feeling it a little heavier this year!  Here’s a great way for you to safely spread some Christmas cheer; send gifts and thank you cards to healthcare workers & patients!  Our healthcare professionals sure could use the boost and what a great way to encourage those in the hospital or nursing homes.  Get your family, small group, or youth ministry involved.  For healthcare workers you could treat them to: 

• Cards (bought or handmade)
• Treats for those long shifts: coffee, tea, candy, snacks 
• Helpful goodies like: hair ties, lotion, nail file, extra pens 
• Gift Cards 

Ways to cheer up hospital patients or nursing home residents: 

• Cards (bought or handmade) 
• Hand drawn pictures from the little ones 
• Poems 
• Decorations for their room: popcorn garland, snowflakes, glitter ornaments.  Depending on your budget and facility restrictions, send the residents mini Christmas trees for their rooms! 
• Packaged treats: sending in cookies and candies for a special treat at their next mealtime 
• Window caroling: you can’t visit the residents in person, but maybe you could carol through the windows for them! 
• Gifts: if you have the budget you could also treat the residents to some luxury with new slippers, a blanket, or fuzzy socks.  If you have some crafty members in your church, they may want to make gifts (like blankets). 

While none of what we are experiencing is ideal, there are still a lot of opportunities to reach out to loved ones, connect with your community, and make a positive impact on so many people.  These are great options for us as the church to show the true reason for the season to others!