Thanksgiving and Christmas are times to show your compassionate side. While they are great holidays involving food and presents, often the important message of them becomes forgotten or lost. These days are meant to spend with your family and friends, but you can also spend more valuable time together by helping save the environment.

Volunteering at a local soup kitchen is an activity that your family can do together. If you are unable to volunteer your time, you can at least donate hearty foods such as wheat bread, wheat pasta, beans, etc. Feeding the poor is cheaper and more practical when you serve meatless meals. Whole wheat and various types of beans are more filling and nutritious with protein. Plus, if you have too many leftovers, a soup kitchen is the perfect place to take them so they are eaten and not thrown out.

Although winter is settling in, you might still have mild weather on Thanksgiving Day. In the case that you can go outside and breathe in the fresh air, you can take your family to a local park or public recreation area and clean up the litter. Spending a half an hour can make a difference.

Since the family is usually together on these two holidays, it’s the perfect time to make your house more eco-friendly. You might want to get an early start during Thanksgiving so you have a method for recycling plastic and paper products before you get hit with all of those Christmas gifts. Starting your recycling center can be a fun and creative process, especially for children. It’s also a good idea to start a compost bin if you don’t have one already.

Holidays are wonderful events, because you get to eat delicious food and catch up with family that you rarely get to see or talk to. These times are precious and are about making memories. While you might not have thought about volunteering, donating or recycling, these activities can bring the family together and show your compassion for others and the environment. You might even make new traditions and unforgettable memories.