[wp_eStore_cart_when_not_empty]When we were children, we were allowed to look through the Sears catalog for help in making our Christmas wish list. Mom and Dad would let us give them our list of suggestions along with whether we would prefer one large gift or several smaller gifts. We never knew how much money was their budget, but we did know that they did their best to honor something on our list along with a couple of things we might also need.
Missionaries have lists of things they need, but just like everyone else, they also have wish lists. And usually those wish lists contain either food or accessory items that are not necessary to life and ministry on their field, but that would be really nice to have and enjoy. As you think about ways you can bless missionaries at Christmas, why not ask them for their wish list?
Blessings Received
I asked several missionaries we know what types of things they received that were great Christmas blessings. Here are some of their replies:
- scented candles
- candies/food items they can't buy on the field
- Christmas baking supplies and holiday food items unavailable on their field
- special gifts for the children
- tickets to fly “home for the holidays”
- Christmas cards
- one church sent a Christmas offering in October so the missionary could use it for buying gifts that year
- another church sent another missionary the video of the Christmas program/service
- one missionary said their pastor calls them every year on Christmas morning
Other Blessing Ideas
Other ways you can bless missionaries at Christmas:
- Send them (or email digital) gift cards in time to use them for Christmas shopping (find out where they shop, amazon, etc.)
- Adopt a family or missionary child, get their wishlist, and send a special care package just for them.
- If the missionary has a website, with affiliate links, do your shopping through their links. It's no added cost to you, but the missionaries reap the ultimate benefit of a few extra dollars in sales commissions.
- If your missionaries have recorded a CD or written a book or have other products/resources for sale, consider purchasing those for people you are buying for.
- Save the change (or calculate the change) from all of your Christmas shopping and send the missionaries a special Christmas offering.
What other ways can you think of to bless missionaries at Christmas?
This post is part of the 20 Days of Ultimate Christmas Lists Series on Paradise Praises. You can also find this and other incredibly helpful Christmas lists in this ebook:
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These are really great ideas though our church ran into the problem of customs charges for some of our missionaries as well as theft through the postal services. We now send monetary gifts through the mission boards so our missionaries can enjoy a few unexpected dollars over the holidays. One important thing to keep in mind if you send monetary gifts is that most mission boards need the funds before the end of November in order to include them with the missionary’s December income.
excellent point Pam, if sending a package it is always best to check with your missionary first to find out the best way to ship and what may/may not be allowed through their customs. Also want to do the mailing/donations in plenty of time for it to reach them by the holidays.