Christmas is one of the most wonderful times of the year. We have a song that we sing about it and how we should be spreading holiday cheer. Does it seem like you are falling into a rhythm during Christmas though? We come home for the holidays. We say hello to our family that we have not seen since we left for school. We buy presents for our brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, and mother and fathers. We bake the Christmas dinner and fill the house with wonderful the wonderful smells that make our mouths water as we picture eat the ham and pies our mothers and grandmothers have been working on for days now leading up to the Christmas dinner. As we open our presents and say our thank you's, don't you feel as though you still could have done something more? Something different? Maybe put a twist on this wonderful holiday called Christmas?

There are many ways to put a twist on Christmas, but here are 10 ways to do it in a giving way. Because isn't that what Christmas is all about? Giving to others so they feel as loved as you?

1. Bake some delicious cookies.

This is a simple way to make a treat that many people love. There are families who will be celebrating Christmas in a way that we might forget, they will have no tree up because they had no extra money this year to buy one, or they may be standing in line at the food pantry to get food for the holidays so they can give their children something to eat. They will not be eating that huge ham or baking the cookies to fill their home with the aroma of chocolate chip cookies and frosting to put on the sugar cookies that are baked and ready to frost. Just the simple gesture of being delivered a tin full of cookies so their children have a treat to eat around the table that night might be the best Christmas gift they have ever received.

2. Work at a soup kitchen.

Many of us will not have time to bake extra food for those who are not as well off as us, but there always is another option if you are interested in wanting to give food out to others you want to make sure are not hungry for the holidays. Work at a soup kitchen. Places like the Salvation Army and churches around you do soup kitchens and invite those from the street and those in need to come in and have a nice warm meal and get out of the cold for a while. If you do not have much time during the day to give back, come in for an hour or even half an hour and give out a bowl of warm soup, some fresh baked bread, and a holiday treats. You will see their faces light up as if you just told them they won a million dollars and you will feel as if you did the best thing in the world.

3. Buy some toys for children in need.

While you are out and about buying for your family or playing Santa because you are looking at your list and checking it twice to make sure you got it all, look for a small gift for someone who might not be a family member. There are families with children in the hospital who will not be going home for Christmas this year because they are fighting for their lives. The parents might be in tears knowing that their baby will not be getting a gift this year for Christmas. They cannot afford it because of the bills they are paying this year. There are groups like Angel Tree who give you the sex of a child, how old they are and what they want for Christmas, and you buy just one item on the list and give it to the charity so they can give it to the child. Suddenly, you are that child's Santa and they now have a gift to cling to while they are in the hospital or on the street.

4. Go caroling.

If you do not want to spend the extra money no one will look down upon you. You can still spread Christmas cheer in another form. Caroling down the streets and entertaining people is always a fun way to spread Christmas cheer. Down at the malls and shops, everyone is running in and out of trying to get last minute items, shoppers always love to hear the caroling of others. Shelters may even ask for you to come in and sing for the children and the families who have nowhere to go for the holidays, and it could lighten up their spirits during a cold season that may not have much meaning for them. Go to hospitals and nursing homes to remind others who will not be home for Christmas that they still have someone who loves them. The little things are sometimes the things that mean the most.

5. Visit a nursing home.

Nursing Homes sometimes are not a fun place to be for those who live there or even those who work there. They miss their family and loved ones who may be busy and not able to come see them during the holiday season. You do not have to bring anything but a big heart, some good ears to listen and some good conversations. You do not need to do much but just spend time with those who may not have anyone who will spend time with them. By doing this, you could give them the best gift of all: the gift of feeling loved.

6. Invite a friend who would be spending Christmas alone.

You may not have a gift for your friend, but there is always an extra spot at the table. Bringing a friend into a warm home full of love and laughter and good food is always a nice feeling for someone who may not get that gift at home because they are too far from home. Being able to know they are loved by others who may not be family is a wonderful thought and a wonderful gift.

7. Carry around extra change.

There are bells ringing outside of every store you enter asking for spare change so they can give to those who are in need. If you give even 10 cents you could be helping fund a toy or a new kitchen utensil needed to help a family get through the next few months so they have things to cook with or play with. If you give more, then great. If you give a little, amazing-- you are awesome. No matter what, every cent counts and anyone effected by your spare change will thank you even though they may not know you.

8. Give gifts for those who give their time to help others.

Many people take out all their time on the holidays to go help others who are in need and put themselves on the back burner. Some make soups, bread and cookies for hundreds of people so they can be fed and happy on Christmas. They go out and donate hundreds of dollars by spending money on toys to give to charities like Toys for Tots and hospitals, and they never bat an eye. Why not give back to those who give everything for those in need? Give them a gift card and a hug and tell them thank you for all they do for others. Give them a handmade gift like a scarf for necklace to show how much you appreciate them, because if it was not for them, many people would not get to have a warm meal or toys for Christmas.

9. Smile and tell everyone you see Happy Holidays!

This is the simplest and purest way to spread holiday cheer. Just smiling and telling everyone "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" can make someone's day go from bad to great because they know someone is being nice and wanting them to have a good holiday. We all have everyday things that happen to us that cause us to sometimes forget what this time of year is all about, so next time you see someone this season, remember to smile and let them know you hope that they have themselves a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.