Being a blessing to others this Christmas season (with the help of Kroger)

Disclosure: I received a gift card from Kroger, but all ideas and opinions are mine.

So I interrupt all the Christmas decorating, baking, cookie decorating, and shopping… to talk about the real reason for the season.  It is so easy to get caught up in all the “to-do” list of Christmas – decorating, gift buying, gift wrapping, baking… that we forget what Christmas is all about, right?    Christmas is about giving… about the One that came as the ultimate gift… about how we can give to others.

Aren’t those grocery store gift card displays so convenient?  You are going to be at the store anyways grabbing milk and hot cocoa, and ingredients for all that Christmas baking… so it is so easy to cross some gifts off your list too.  They have gift cards for everywhere too – restaurants, malls, online stores, and so much more.  So when Kroger contacted me to ask me to come up with some creative gift pairing ideas using gift cards from their store, I was up for the challenge!

My husband and I are starting a new tradition – we are going to find/choose one person each Christmas that we can bless in an unusual way.  We don’t big Christmases at all for each other and never have, so we will enjoy setting aside a little extra to do something for someone else.  It may be someone that is struggling financially and won’t have much of a Christmas, someone who has gone through some health battles, someone who we just feel could use a little extra blessing at Christmas.  So with that idea in mind, I put together some gift basket ideas that you could easily put together, all with things at Kroger, and be a blessing to someone this Christmas

The gift card they sent me was a $25 Toys ‘R Us and since we don’t have any kids this was perfect for me to use for my “be a blessing to someone” Christmas gift.  And I came up with 3 different ideas or scenarios. 

This first basket is my single mom basket or maybe just a busy/overwhelmed/mom of young kids basket.

I picked up a yummy smelling candle (who knew they made Harry & David candles?), a mug with a $15 Starbucks gift card tucked inside, and of course some chocolate and some sparkling grape juice (we aren’t wine or alcohol drinkers) all for the mom.  And then the $25 Toys ‘R Us gift card and a card game for the kids. 

Of course all of this is customizable depending on who you are giving it to, the situation, etc.  But if I was to give this to a mom, maybe I would tuck a note inside that said “I will be over to watch the kids (or you can bring them to my house) while you go get a cup of coffee and do some Christmas shopping.   And then when you get home, you can enjoy some sparkling cider and chocolate by candlelight.”  If $ was really tight, I would suggest she shop for her kids using the gift card, if not, then the kids could just get the gift card to do some fun shopping themselves!

You could also change it up just a bit and make this a Family gift basket.  Given to a young couple with young kids that maybe don’t get to get out much. 

Tuck a note inside saying you will watch the kids, while they go out on a date (with the restaurant gift card) and do some Christmas shopping.  And then they could enjoy another evening at home with chocolate by candlelight.  And the kids get included too with a gift card to spend themselves or for the parents to use to buy the kids something for Christmas. 

And lastly, here is a Kids Basket – for a special child you might want to be a blessing too. 

You can find coloring books, crayons, nice hardback story books,  games, candy all at Kroger, and then tuck in the Toys ‘R Us gift card so they can shop for something else they might want. 

Plus for every $25 gift card you buy at Kroger you get 4x the fuel points meaning you would get 10¢ off a gallon on your fill-up.  So you benefit too!  You can follow Kroger on facebook to see other promotions and follow them on Pinterest to get recipes and meal ideas.

So the next time you are at Kroger picking up groceries, pick up some gift cards and cross some people off your Christmas list, and consider picking up another one to give to someone you could be a special blessing to this year.

Would love to hear ideas on how you give back at Christmas or give to others in need.