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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