Santa making heart hands

About this drawing

Santa heart hands sum up something people love about the holidays: the season is about kindness as much as presents. Across the United States, December is the busiest time of year for giving back.

Part of that spirit comes from older traditions. In Britain and many Commonwealth countries, December 26 is Boxing Day. The most common explanation is that it was the day households and employers gave boxes of gifts, food or money to servants, tradespeople and the poor. It is still a public holiday there today.

In the United States, toy drives have become a classic holiday project. Fire stations, schools, churches and businesses set out collection boxes for new, unwrapped toys that are later given to children in need. Many communities also run coat drives, food drives and giving trees, where people pick a paper tag with a child's wish and buy that gift.

Kids can join in, too. Choosing a toy to donate, making cards for people in nursing homes or helping a neighbor shovel snow are all small acts with a big impact. Many families say these moments end up being among their favorite holiday memories.

• santa
• hearts
• holiday giving
• kindness