What can you do to help those in need this Christmas?

With the culture of unbridled consumption in evidence, many people end up forgetting that the true meaning of Christmas has nothing to do with expensive gifts, but with the practice of solidarity🇧🇷 You can’t deny that giving a gift to someone you love is also a show of affection – and no one is saying you shouldn’t do it. But the solidarity spirit it can – and should – be put into practice in other ways, helping people (and even pets) who really need you.

Browse the seven suggestions below and do your part in spreading love and compassion this holiday season. If solidarity has not yet entered your routine, there is no better time than now to make it a habit.

1. Adopt a letter from the Post Office Santa Claus project

There is still time to sponsor a needy child through the campaign Post Office Santa Claus🇧🇷 As we have already explained, just choose a letter – available at official Post Offices – buy the gifts that the child asked for and take them to one of the registered official units.

Did you leave it for the last minute? No problems. It is not just Correios that promote initiatives of this type. You can also look for other institutions that offer child sponsorship (orphanages, shelters, day care centers…) and give them gifts.

2. Clean out the wardrobe

Take advantage of the end of the year to organize the closet and clean the clothes, shoes and accessories you no longer use. Separate the pieces, research NGOs, shelters and daycare centers that accept this type of donation and take them for donation. Remember to take special care with the items you will donate: clothes need to be in good condition, washed and ironed.

3. Spend an afternoon in a nursing home, keeping the elderly company

There are countless nursing homes and nursing homes with visiting hours – even if you don’t have any relatives there. At this point in life, what seniors need most is company and affection and, offering this, you can still take good stories home. Choose a nursing home with easy access for you, pay attention to the visiting hours and, if necessary, contribute with donations to the place (they usually need personal hygiene products and medicines, for example).

4. Change your look and donate your hair

Bye, big hair! If you were already thinking about cutting your hair, but lacked that incentive, you can now make an appointment at the salon. Inform the hairdresser that the cut is for donation (this way, he will hold it in an elastic band and will have to cut at least 15 centimeters of hair). Do you have chemistry, dye or gray strands? No problems. NGOs and initiatives that make wigs for girls and women with cancer, alopecia or who have lost their hair in serious accidents accept any and all types of locks.

5. Save a pet from the streets or rescue it from a shelter

Before shelling out some cash and investing in a pet, consider pet adoption. THE #nãocompreadote, which gained fame on the networks in 2017, continues to encourage more and more people to give up the idea of ​​​​buying an animal, rescuing pets from situations of vulnerability and mistreatment. Oh! Don’t forget that an adopted puppy or kitten can be the best Christmas present for a loved one – consider the surprise.

6. Distribute clothes, hygiene products and food to homeless people

Make your own Christmas bag: put clothes in good condition – remember the wardrobe tip upstairs? – , food (preferably that does not spoil quickly and does not need special storage conditions), basic bath and hygiene products and blankets. Take the “kit” to homeless people in your area and, if you want to put this attitude into your routine, always have a bag of this type with you (inside your car, for example) to help even more people.

7. Take the first step and become part of an NGO or volunteer project

Now is the time to carry out that old idea of ​​doing volunteer work or even setting up your own independent project. There are thousands of NGOs and initiatives out there in need of people who like to help. Go after places that raise the same social flags as you and dedicate yourself to it. The rest is history – and gratitude.