The holiday season is (unless you are the grinch) a time that everyone loves. Festive lights, families getting together and good food all at once. One of the major things, however, is the idea of generosity and giving to others less fortunate during the holidays. It is not an unknown fact that the holidays have a deep link to the idea of buying presents for those who can’t afford to get any themselves, or ensuring that others have a better holiday in one way or another.

There is a good chance that you have already heard of at least one story that has gone viral, in which a person has helped out someone else. It is a wonderful thing, hearing about how people feel so extremely generous during the holidays and it is one of the few times that some of my faith in humanity is restored. However, why can’t we be like this all throughout the year? Why is it that we limit our giving nature to only about one month each year?

The behavior that we show during the holidays should be extended to the rest of the year as well. The way we are thankful during Thanksgiving or how we do not mind spending on others for Christmas should be the way we act every other month as well.

Holiday season is not the only time that there are others who need help. It is not the only time that people are struggling with hunger, homelessness or poverty; those are issues faced by thousands at any given time of the year. There will always be people who need support, and if you are someone who has the ability to make their lives a little better, then go ahead and do what you can.

Generosity can come in all shapes and forms; it does not always have to be in the form of money. It can be a warm meal for someone who is hungry, a blanket for a person out in the cold, or it can even just be a few kind words for someone that really needs it. The smallest things that we do for others can completely change their lives, and that is something to keep in mind when considering whether or not to put in a little bit of time and effort to help someone else.

This holiday season, go ahead and give to others. Donate to the nearby food bank or give some money to a local charity, buy some presents for children living in poverty or go put in a few hours of time at the soup kitchen. However, once the new year comes, do not just forget about all that. Try to help out others, if not as much as during the holiday season, but at least just a quarter of that. After all, every little bit of aid counts.