Giving Tuesday: Creating Family Traditions that Matter

Thank you to T-Mobile for sponsoring this post. 

This time of year it is easy to let our thoughts turn to what we hope Santa will soon leave us under the tree. We get caught up in receiving and forget that the season is about the giving. In 2018, Giving Tuesday falls on November 27th and T-Mobile wants to encourage everyone to make giving a priority this holiday season.

As a T-Mobile Ambassador, I was impressed to learn that this year, T-Mobile plans to give more than $2 million dollars for Giving Tuesday and is encouraging everyone (you don’t even have to be a T-Mobile customer) to participate.

Every year, we try to look for opportunities as a family to give back. I’m a firm believer that my kids will be better people if they learn how to serve others and give back in any way they can. Even the youngest kids can give.

I’ve seen our efforts, as small as they are, make such a huge difference in my kids. I like to think that we are making a difference in our community, but I know that we are still gaining way more than we are giving back. I love watching my kids become the kind, loving, generous people that I know they are.

One of our favorite traditions is helping a local charity who buys and distributes gifts to local children in need. Every Giving Tuesday, the charity begins encouraging people to donate their extra coins to disadvantaged local children. Those coins add up! Part way through December, every penny of the funds collected is then used to buy presents for specific kids in need.

Our children have become especially fond of this activity. When we participate, each family is a paper with the first name, age and things the individual child likes. My kids get to go around and choose gifts for that child, within the budget they are given It is a powerful experience when your 4-year-old daughter is picking out toys and clothes for another little girl their age who wouldn’t otherwise have a Christmas.

The next day, thousands of presents get wrapped, an experience my older kids get to enjoy and participate in.

My favorite experience happens shortly before Christmas when my husband gets to dress up as Santa and, with my children as elves, we get to deliver the presents.

Last year we were able to help shop, wrap and deliver presents to 1006 children and 332 families. It was a powerful experience for our family and really helped us get into the spirit of giving.

T-Mobile is making it easy to give this holiday season. On Giving Tuesday (11/27) via the TMT app, customers will get the chance to donate $1 to Feeding America ($1=10 meals).

Not a T-Mobile customer? Don’t worry. You can give too. Every time you retweet @TMobile’s Giving Tuesday tweet on 11/27, T-Mobile will donate $1 (10 meals) to Feeding America.

T-Mobile is making it easy for their employees to give. On Giving Tuesday, T-Mobile will deposit $27 in every T-Mobile employees Giving Account which they can donate to any charity of their choice. T-Mobile will match any additional donations on behalf of employees.

T-Mobile Twitter Party

Join us for the @TMobile Twitter Chat to be held on 11/29 at 9 pm ET.  

T-Mobile will provide Five $100 Benevity Gift Code prizes for the Twitter party that winners can use to give to a charity of their choice.