Ringing bells for the Salvation Army is becoming a tradition for my family. This year, I took Cohen with me to ring the bell for an hour or so. It was amazing how much money a cute little boy in a Santa hat saying “Happy Holidays” to everyone will collect in 60 minutes! It also helped him realize the reason for the season. It’s not all about the presents, it’s about helping those who need help this holiday season.
Cohen was excited when I picked him up from preschool early and told him we were going to ring bells. I explained to him that ringing bells helps raise money for kids who don’t have toys under their trees each year. He was a little confused on why kids wouldn’t have presents, but I tried to answer all of his questions which led to questions about Santa and the naughty list — news he was anxious for.
Keeping Warm with Holiday Generosity
After we bundled up in extra pants, shirts, hats and gloves we headed to Hy-Vee, and boy was it was cold! Luckily, Hy-Vee treated us to hot chocolate and cookies to help pass the time. Cohen ate three M&M cookies, his favorite, while he rang the bell. He was so excited to see people donating their money and thanking him for helping. After about 30 minutes he was ready to go, but I kept reminding him what the money was for and his excitement was renewed for the kids he was helping.
Did I mention that it was cold? At one point in the evening we ran inside to warm up, but after about five minutes we were back outside ringing bells. Cohen even donated a dollar from his piggy bank to help! He did so well and I was a proud mom!
A New Tradition for the Holiday Season
The next day, his teacher told me that Cohen excitedly shared his bell-ringing experience with the entire class. That weekend, we saw other people ringing bells while out Christmas shopping, and he ran up to them to wish them a merry Christmas and to thank them for helping the kids.
It was rewarding for us to see the generosity and to see the lesson that our son learned when it comes to the true reason for the holiday season. This is a refreshing and memorable experience that will become a holiday tradition to truly enjoy every year! I highly recommend doing it if you have the time — bell-ringers really do make a difference!
Mallory Connelly
Babies & Toddlers
In addition to the time I devote to being a mom, I also work full-time outside the home, which means my day is hardly ever as simple as nine to five. With an all-too-established schedule, as soon as I walk through the door, my day doesn’t end, but rather just begins. It’s a balancing act, especially with two children, but being a mom is one full-time job that I never want to quit!
