7 Ways to Spread Festive Cheer in your Community

Families tend to give each other gifts at Christmas – and one of your stocking fillers could simply be spreading a little gift-wrapped festive cheer in your local community! Join us as we journey through 7 ways to be your resident Santa Claus.

The festive season is all about family. At BKT, we firmly believe that our employees and customers alike are part of our family: “Growing Together” throughout the years. Who does your family extend to? Many have found that, particularly in light of the trying times of the last few years, they feel intrinsically connected to their local community. Whether your village, town, or borough is a core part of your identity, or you appreciate the community spirit where you live, this is undoubtedly resemblant of family.

Now, families tend to give each other gifts at Christmas – and one of your stocking fillers could simply be spreading a little gift-wrapped festive cheer in your local community! Join us as we journey through 7 ways to be your resident Santa Claus.  
 

1. Paint the Town Red (And Gold) 
   
   Nothing brings communities together more than the festive spirit. And what better way to enhance this than by lighting up your town with Christmas lights? Or buying a communal Christmas tree, adorned with tinsel and baubles? There are an array of decorations you can buy (at cheap prices) to festively spruce up your local town hall - or even your street! This is all permitting approval by your neighbors, of course!
    

2. Special Delivery 
   
   Are there any members of your community who struggle to get out and about? Be your local Good Samaritan and deliver them a bag of festive goodies! Brighten someone’s day (and perhaps, even their Christmas) by putting together a gift package: this could consist of groceries and other general amenities they may need. A jumper or blanket could be an extra thoughtful touch to keep them warm during winter. 
    

3. O Come, All Ye Faithful 
   
   Everyone loves a bit of caroling! A great way to spread community cheer is by getting a group of local singers together, with a few classic Christmas carols under your belt, and knocking on your neighbors’ doors! If you get a receptive response (which we’re sure you will!), you can perform a mini-concert - and spread a little festive joy! Also, try and mix up your playlist: you can fuse old-school carols with popular Christmas hits to appeal to a wider audience. 
    

4. Helping Hands
   
   Christmas is the time for giving. Therefore, it is important to consider the marginalized parts of your community and how you can valuably devote your time to help. There are many volunteering opportunities around Christmas time, such as food banks, homeless shelters, hospitals, charity helplines, and charity collections. One particularly poignant example is the opportunity to serve Christmas dinners for homeless members of your community - an opportunity that many homeless shelters provide. For inspiration, take a look at these uplifting 2022 examples of Christmas volunteer work available. 
    

5. Home Sweet Home 
   
   Is there anyone you know who is spending the festive season alone? Perhaps you have an elderly neighbor with no family visiting this year or a friend who recently lost a loved one. One of the greatest gifts you could give is opening up your home to someone in need during Christmas. Invite them to be your guest of honor and join in the festivities with you and your family. 
    

6. Walking in a Winter Wonderland 
   
   Speaking of festivities… how about throwing a Christmas-themed street party, for all your neighbors to enjoy? Inspired by our earlier decorating suggestion, you could also serve Christmas nibbles, blast Christmas songs, and inspire all-round good cheer! Nothing brings the community together than a good ol’ knees up! This also gives an opportunity to be inclusive to all members of your community - including those that may be spending the festive period alone.
    

7. New Year, New You
   
   Our final shiny, sparkling bauble of advice is simply to start as you mean to go on, and continue uplifting your community in the new year. Christmas typically acts as an overdue reminder of the important people in our life - and the love we have to share. Therefore, there is no better time to get involved with your local community, form long-lasting friendships, and make people’s days just that little bit brighter. 

At BKT, we believe in the importance of giving back. But we also know that actions speak louder than words, and ensure that we demonstrate this through our extensive charity work and company ethos. We are a people-centric company that cherishes our community, from our employees to our customers - and will certainly continue to help our communities thrive throughout the festive season and going into the New Year. 

What will you do to spread cheer in your community this Christmas? Whatever you do, we wish you a truly merry one - from our family to yours.