As I think about the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, I am filled with feelings of joy, peace and so much love. For some people, it can feel more stressful, hectic or busy and all about the gifts. As I start preparing my heart in gratitude and for the birth of our Savior, I am reminded that loving God and loving others is what life is truly all about. After all, I think the most crucial way that we can show the love of Christ to those around us is to: 1. offer our time, 2. our hospitality, 3. our prayers, and 4. to simply listen.

• Romans 12:10 “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
• John 15:12 “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

Before I launch my thoughtful gift ideas, I wanted to share a list of ideas for you to give for Christmas that don’t involve gifts. But rather, are experiences, simple activities, or quality time spent together. The beauty of these ideas too is that they can be done year-round, not just during the giving and Christmas seasons.

Without further ado, here are some ideas of simple, powerful ways to love others well:

1. Make a meal or a few freezer meals for a new mom or pregnant friend.
2. Offer to babysit so a young couple can have a date night.
3. Do something with a friend or family member that THEY enjoy. Just because!
4. Make the drive to see a family member or friend. Looking back, you won’t remember the drive you made, but rather the time you spent seeing your loved one.
5. Take the time to ask deep questions about someone’s life, where they’ve been, their desires, things they don’t share with many people. Listen.
6. Love and focus on the person/people right in front of you.
7. Write a letter to an elderly relative or go visit them and have a conversation or play their latest favorite card game.
8. Bake cookies for a new neighbor.
9. Spend time looking through old photos with someone or printing new ones.
10. Find a cute card and mail it to your bestie just to tell them how great they are and how much you love them.
11. Remind a parent how wonderful of a job they are doing.
12. Help someone carry their groceries.
13. Give your time to a local charity. Do it together with a friend or family member.
14. Bring food to a homeless person near you. Spend time talking with them.
15. Go all out on decorating for a friend’s birthday.
16. Tip your waitress extra.
17. Talk to someone who is different from you.
18. Send flowers to your mom.
19. Call your dad and talk to him about his hobbies and interests just to listen.
20. Invite someone into your home for a cup of coffee.
21. Volunteer at a local nursing home or senior living facility.
22. Visit a friend or family member at college. ‘Home’ means so much, especially in that first year.
23. Leave a positive review, or better yet, make a purchase at a local small business.
24. Send an encouraging message to someone you follow on social media that you admire
25. Go on a short trip with a friend to a place they’ve always wanted to go
26. Send a podcast episode to someone it made you think of while listening to it
27. Take a walk with a friend, make it a weekly or monthly thing.
28. Curate a personal playlist for someone.
29. Create a video for a loved one with some of your favorite memories and randomly send it to them.

Add to the list! Leave a comment below how you plan to show love to someone special or what someone has done for you.

Save it for later or send to a loved one.