Thanks to the diversity of traditions and backgrounds, we can connect, create community and celebrate around various holiday celebrations. One of these is a period of hospitality, charity and gift-giving in the Baha’i calendar that is celebrated from February 25-28 each year. Although acts of charity and hospitality happen year round, this is a special period to remind us of its importance.
Unlike popular belief, giving does not have to be monetary, although that is certainly one form of it. Consider ideas such as volunteering time, listening to someone in need, being hospitable, taking care of the sick, helping an elder with their gardening, donating phones or old devices, contributing talent & resources to various organizations, making blankets or clothing for the needy, donating hair for cancer patients, mentoring someone, giving blood, taking stuff to good will, forming a ‘giving circle’ to work on projects year around, donating and serving food at a food bank, donating credit card rewards or reward miles, becoming an organ donor, raising awareness on charity via social media, providing a needed service to recent refugees, etc.
"Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity….
Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the cry of the needy….
Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed…
Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive."
–Baha’u’llah
