How your business can make a difference this holiday season

Making someone else happy will help you to enjoy your own Christmas experience. It will also help you to garner a positive reputation for your brand and to improve staff morale. There are so many incredible opportunities for you to add some philanthropy into your celebrations. Below are eight ways that your business can make a difference this holiday season.

Update your Christmas card list

One option is to update your Christmas card list with plenty of new contacts. Why not send season’s greetings to people that wouldn’t normally receive them? You could write to your valued customers. You could write to the residents of your local care home. Or, you could write to your local hospitals, fire stations, and police departments, and thank each team for their service. Just make sure that you select the Best Holiday Cards that you can find. This will help you to establish yourself as a business that truly cares about its community.

Volunteer at a soup kitchen

You could also have a go at volunteering at a soup kitchen. You could even involve your work force to help too. This is a brilliant opportunity for you to reach out to people who may find it difficult to enjoy the holiday period. It is also the perfect chance for you to do something practical, instead of simply writing a check or putting money in a donation box. If you go ahead with this plan, you could share your experience on your social media platforms and encourage your audience to follow your lead.

Go carolling for charity

Another option is to take your workforce carolling for charity. You could get some of your employees to carry signs that promote your chosen cause. Then, you could create a donation box for all of the houses that you visit. Hopefully everyone will be full of Christmas cheer and will be more than happy to support your charity. Once you have finished collecting your money, you could always reach out to your local care home or hospital. At this time of year, they might appreciate a visit from your musical collective. Alternatively, you could visit a large shopping mall and use this as the perfect opportunity to attract a larger crowd.

Take presents to the local children’s ward

You could also work with your employees to find presents for the local children’s ward. This is an especially useful idea for any companies that already make suitable products. Perhaps you specialize in toys, stationary, or children’s clothing. Why not donate some of your stock to a good cause? Alternatively, if you don’t have anything suitable, you could use your business contacts to secure a great deal. Or, you could donate a percentage from each of your sales towards buying the gifts. Just make sure that you advertise this fact to your clients, as they are sure to be impressed by your philanthropic efforts.

Give gifts for someone else

When you are choosing Christmas gifts for your employees, why not present them with a gift that benefits someone else? Charities such as Save the Children provide wish lists that you can use to help people who are battling poverty. You can buy anything from a mosquito net to a yak. The most important thing is that you are giving your employees a gift that they can be truly proud of. This is also a fantastic way for you to put a little more thought into your presents. Instead of opting for a generic bottle of wine or box of chocolates, you will have found a gift that truly makes a difference.

Make your own gifts

Alternatively, you could create handmade presents for all your staff. This is only a viable option for team leaders with a select number of employees. Of course, you don’t want to be making thousands of handmade items, but if you have a small group of workers this approach could work extremely well. You could then take the money that you have saved from making your own gifts and donate it to a charity of your choice. This is a great way to ensure you definitely have the funds to spread the Christmas cheer. Personalizing your handmade gifts is also a great way for you to show your employees that you respect them as individual members of your team.

Take food to your local animal shelter

Another idea is to take food to your local animal shelter. Why not set up a donation crate in your office and encourage your colleagues to contribute? If they have their own pets, it is likely that they will have spare food stored at home. Once you are happy with the amount that you have collected, you could take your team to the shelter. Why not talk to the volunteers beforehand and find out whether it is possible for you to interact with the animals? If so, this is the perfect opportunity for you to take publicity shots. You could even consider adopting a company pet. Say you and your family have been looking for a new dog, you could adopt a pet and take it with you to work. It could become your new team mascot. What better way for you to generate a positive publicity story for your business?

Buy ethically made gifts

Finally, you could ensure all of your gifts are ethically made. This is a simpler alternative to creating your own presents. All you need to do is look out for brands that pride themselves in their company ethics. Perhaps they use recycled materials. Maybe they prioritize the fair payment of all of their workers. Whatever the case, ethically made gifts are a fantastic way for you to make it clear that you company cares about more than just the bottom line.