Can happiness come from giving and not just buying?
As Thanksgiving goes by us quickly, it will soon be Christmas. There are only 10 more Fridays until Christmas!!
Has your family ever taken the time to consider prosocial spending around the holidays? Mine has and on one occasion we benefited more than I could have imagined possible!
Our family bought a Vitamix and we love it! Among the many things it does, it makes some amazing breakfast smoothies which makes the time in the kitchen shorter and starts my day off a bit brighter. So yes, happiness can be derived from buying. I do think however, that we get more happiness when we spend a portion of our money on other people, whether it is friends, family or strangers.
I reflect on Thanksgiving which has its historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, and has long been celebrated in a secular manner as well. A national holiday celebrated as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and and of the preceding year.
A family tradition we are trying to keep up with, is finding ways to give to others who are not as fortunate. One Thanksgiving comes to mind as the best we have celebrated in years. Our son was 9, he receives allowance and as part of it he needs to set some aside to share. At the time it would have been $3 for spend, $4 for save and $2 for share. He had been saving a while and we took his “share” money and put more towards it. As a family we decided we didn’t need a turkey with all the fixings that year. We took our money and headed to the local grocery store to buy everything another family would need to enjoy our typical dinner. Our son proudly drove the cart and put each item in one by one from the list and handed the cashier his contribution! We then drove over to the local salvation army and donated our purchases. They were happy to show us around and share with our son how his generosity would make a difference.
That night, when we shared our dinner, each of us took a turn sharing what 3 things we were most thankful for and what 1 thing we could do to help someone we knew. This is a family memory that is guaranteed to brighten my day when I think of it. This year each of us will take time and be thankful for our new family! We are in the process of adopting our 9 year old son who joined us from Africa last August. We are now starting to ponder what we can do this Christmas that might produce that same positive feeling and some new family traditions.
What does your family typically do and will you consider some prosocial spending to brighten your families Thanksgiving or Christmas day?
“The Law of giving is very simple: if you want joy, give joy. If love is what you seek, offer love. If you crave material affluence, help others become prosperous.” – Deepak Chopra
Best wishes for a season filled with happiness! Call me toll free at (844) 239-5522 to move forward now.
Image credit and artist: LA artist and old friend Jennifer Verge Inspired by: My email sign off:)
