I am the mother of 3 and I absolutely love the holiday season. I love the lights, the music, the parties, the food… and watching the faces of my little ones as they take it all in! But the thing that I love most about the holidays is the spirit of giving that seems more apparent around this time of the year than at any other. There are just so many opportunities to give back and help one another.

I recently read an article about teaching kids the spirit of giving and was intrigued by the author’s suggestions… simple things that I had just not thought of as a way to pass along the spirit of giving to my children.

As I looked through the suggestions a second time I realized that they are also ideal for instilling the spirit of giving into your blood donors, not just at the holidays, but all year long! So I have revised her suggestions slightly to give you some reminders for encouraging that giving spirit in your donors.

#1: Acknowledge what they already do – Just remind donors that their previous donations are evidence of the spirit of giving they already have. Their tendency to give in response to your requests for donors at specific times of the year is an example of that spirit in action. Spotlighting previous donations and specific opportunities they have responded to allows donors to see their giving spirit in a new light. In fact, donors will likely be so happy to discover they already make such a big difference; the motivation to give more often will quickly surface.

#2: Give them a choice – Donors will be more likely to adopt even more of a giving spirit, when they are able to choose when they would like to give. I know at least one blood center that is specifically encouraging donors to select 4 holidays throughout the year around which to donate. Donors who donate during a specified holiday period will receive a Holiday Hero lapel pin to acknowledge their spirit of giving. At the end of the year, all donors who have received at least 4 of these holiday lapel pins will be recognized as a Holiday Hero. What a great way to encourage holiday spirit all year long and the donors have multiple opportunities that allow them to choose when they want to donate!

#3: Make giving a family affair – Making information about your high school program and/or details about the minimum donation age in your state available to all donors is a great way to remind parents to encourage children to follow in their footsteps and donate when they are old enough. Another way to make it a family affair is to host family and friend days at your blood center encouraging regular donors to bring family members in to donate as well. And many donor centers have educational coloring books and or color-your-own-tumblers available for younger children to introduce them to the importance of giving blood too.

#4: Incorporate giving into their regular schedule – When it comes to giving donors an opportunity to give on a regular basis, the options are unlimited. The Holiday Hero program mentioned above, a Four Seasons program, quarterly Hero Trax for platelet donors or giving whole blood donors one of our 56 day countdown timers so they know exactly when they are eligible to give again are all good ideas. Design all of your “frequent donor” programs so that donors can participate whether they give at mobile drive or in center have the opportunity to participate. Whatever you do to encourage frequent donations, weave a lot of fun into so that donors what to keep coming back.

#5: Give and receive – Often, donors go through the motions of giving blood without fully understanding why they are doing it. Take the time to spotlight how the giving process was received. Share the stories of families and individuals who benefited from donated blood. Show photos of the smiles from those who have been given another birthday because someone donated the blood they needed to live. Find specific examples to show them how their donation positively impacts others.

As you enjoy the holiday season, consider how you might incorporate these ideas to create that spirit of giving in your donors all year long.