10 | HOLIDAY | SAPPHIRE LILY | www. sapphirelily. net
PREPARING FOR THE HOLIDAYS: HO HO HO??? OR BAH HUMBUG
Consider giving an alternative gift to a friend or loved one by giving to a charity in their name. One of my favorite charities is Heifer Project International. Through living gifts of animals, HPI is helping families worldwide to become self-reliant. You can buy an animal that can change the life of a hungry family and at the same time honor family and friends. Visit HPI’ s“ gift catalog” at http:// catalog. heifer. org / index. cfm.
==> Spread the holiday cheer with those in need. Volunteer to serve a holiday meal to the homeless, work in a soup kitchen, or work at a food bank. Adopt a family for the holidays and provide them with gifts or holiday foods. Many churches and non-profit organizations can match you with a needy family.
Look for a Giving Tree in your local retail stores. The tree is filled with cards that list a specific gift desired by someone in need. You select a card off the tree, purchase the suggested gift listed on the card, and return the gift to the tree with the card attached. The store wraps the gift and delivers it to the intended recipient.
The end of the tax year is a great time to review your budget and consider a year-end gift to your favorite charities. This can represent a significant tax deduction if you itemize, while doing great things locally and globally.
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