The true meaning of Boxing Day
Photo by Tom Parsons on Unsplash
Fancy a feel good Boxing Day instead of battling through the sales for stuff that’s going to clutter up your house and your life? Shopping has become so all consuming most of us have forgotten what Boxing Day is really about.
It’s a time to reflect on how lucky we are and give to those less fortunate. The UK is in crisis – 14 million people in the UK are living in poverty – that’s around 22% of the population, and 135,000 children will be homeless this Christmas.
Since before 1663 when Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary that he would send his shoemaker a ‘Christmas Box’ (which would contain money or a gift), people have used the holiday to support people less fortunate than themselves. Boxing Day sales are even decreasing in popularity with shoppers down by 3.1% last year so what better way to celebrate than remembering what this holiday is really all about? With the world being run by self-interested crazies it’s more important than ever to reach out to vulnerable people.
Giving more than just money
There are so many great charities out there to donate to, but sometimes it can be difficult to choose just one. Dropping some money into a box, or donating online can feel disconnected. You don’t always know how your donation will be spent, or how much of it will actually end up in the hands of those in need.
“It’s more important than ever to reach out to vulnerable people”
We have a few ideas of how to be a little more active with your donation. One thing you can do is to make a Christmas Box for a child in need. If it’s too late to donate your own gift box to a local shoebox drive, Freedom from Torture and Unicef allow you to create one online. Gifts are always welcome at homeless shelters and Crisis have wish-lists online to give an idea of what people need the most.
There are also a few ways you can help your local food bank. Find your nearest one here to either volunteer your time or simply bring a bag of supplies for donation, but make sure you check which products they require the most. If you’re short on time or money but you still want to help, most supermarkets collect donations for food banks where you can just drop off what you can afford.
Volunteering your time
Do you want to volunteer time but feel as if you don’t have any to spare? There are lots of different one-off projects or opportunities that can easily fit around your schedule. Good Gym offer community projects you can participate in whilst keeping fit and socialising with others. Last year, Trussel Trust gave over 1.5 million food parcels to people in crisis, and they have lots of suggestions for ‘Microvolunteering’ – tasks that take 5 minutes to one day.
Charities like Crisis seek extra volunteers to provide meals and companionship to homeless people over the festive period. For more regular opportunities, try these sites suggested on the NCVO website. You can try searching the databases for opportunities that use your skills like cooking, writing, and caring to name a few.
This Christmas, let’s build communities and relationships instead of heaps of debt and waste. However small your contribution, if everyone pulls together this Christmas, we can make a huge difference.