For years we’ve had a Christmas giving tree at our church.  Every year parishioners selected an ornament listing the age and gender of a child in need and returned the following week with a present for the designated child.  Some bought clothes, some bought toys.  All of us had to guess sizes and interests.  (Does an 8-year-old girl wear a size a size 8 or 10?  Does she like girly-girl sweaters or tom-boy hoodies?  Did she secretly ask Santa for a pair of roller blades or a doll to cuddle?)  The stress of making the right choice sometimes sucked the charitable spirit right out of me.

Thank goodness we’re doing something different this year.  A rebel in the congregation (and it wasn’t me, I swear) suggested we donate gift cards instead.  Amen to that!  We’ve been asked to purchase as many $10 gift cards as we can afford from one of three places—a grocery store, discount retailer, or clothing store.  The gift cards will be bundled up and delivered to families in need. 

By giving gift cards instead of gifts, I think we’re actually doing more for the families.  We’re not only providing Christmas, but we’re giving mom the ability to shop for her children—to pick out what she knows they need.  We’re giving her the opportunity to not only fill the cupboards with food, but set the holiday table with family favorites.  The visual warms my heart.

In these troubled times, I’m sure we won’t quite have enough gift cards to do all that we’d like, but the families receiving the gift will be able to do more than they could have otherwise.  And that’s a good reason to gift card.