During the holidays it’s really easy to get caught up in To-Do lists that could make anyone feel Grinchy. The best way to flip your Scrooge mood to something more generous is by making sure our Holiday To-Do List includes doing something for someone who needs our help.

There are lots of ways to do this. Volunteer to serve food at a soup kitchen. Find someone who looks like they could use some money, bend down next to them and hand them a $5 bill saying, “I believe you dropped this.” Buy new socks and underwear in assorted sizes, then drop them off at the local homeless shelter. Find out about community toy drives—try focusing in on what a teen might like for a gift since they’re often the ones left out during these gift drives. Make a meal for a neighbor or friend and drop it off. Plenty of people are working long days to try to make ends meet or are homebound. A home-cooked meal makes a world of a difference. My favorite surprise drop off meal is roasted root vegetables. I cook them all up in an inexpensive, but beautiful and practical nice single pan from JCPenney. It’s a ready to go & serve gift, and you’ll likely have a very happy recipient. I like this kind of meal because any leftovers are perfect ingredients for a great soup the next day, too. All somebody has to do is add them into a pot with boiling water and seasoning. This can then all be put into containers, frozen, and pulled out for another warm meal when desired.  

During the holidays, the easiest way to forget our own struggles is by offering a kind gesture to another. Not asking, just doing it. Go be an elf!

This post was sponsored byJCPenney who has all kinds of reasonably priced gifts available for homeless shelter donations, toy drives, prepared food gifts and more.  #AllAtJCP #ad #sp

Shop for your holiday needs at JCPenney: https://jcp.is/2RoyZWC 

Stainless Steel Roaster: https://jcp.is/2QwZwny