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7 Ways to Ho-Ho-Hold Your Volunteers Close this Christmas

by Janet Wortel  
11/22/2016 / Church Life

Awesome volunteers deserve a big recognition at Christmas, right? All year long they serve. They bring an immense gift of time and skills to your organization. Truly it is harder to find a better example of sincere Christmas spirit and goodwill towards mankind. Shouldn't their star shine brightly at Christmas? But ho-ho-hold that thought.
Packing your main volunteer appreciation event into Christmas may bring more chill than warmth to your volunteer team. First of all, many volunteers give up time with family and friends when serving the community. Taking more of their personal time at Christmaseven for a fabulous partycould feel like one demand too many. Also consider that many people travel during the holidays. They may miss out on the party. Let's admit too that the volunteer manager may feel a tad overworked at Christmas. It's hard to plan a great event for the volunteers while waving from a float in a parade, or whipping up costumes for a Christmas drama. Realistically, the big volunteer recognition event is better left to brighten up the early springlong after the wrapping paper and Christmas tree have been recycled.
How then do we keep the volunteer team feeling jollywithout a big event? Fortunately, several simple gestures can give the right touch of gratitude. And you won't melt your rewards budget either.

Write Santa's Nice-List Names . . . in Public!
If your volunteers regularly pass through one building, decorate a large glass window with their names. No window? How about a mural? A public thank you encourages your volunteers. And it can also bring in new volunteers!

A Virtual Thumbs Up
Your glowing praise could be worth big bucks. Do you have volunteers who are looking for a job or a promotion in their work life? Career websites such as LinkedIn allow you to add your kudos to a volunteer's online work profile. If you plan to send your volunteers a personal greeting, just include a good sentence about their key contributions. Then offer to offer to post it online. They may also want to post it themselves.

Great Greetings
Why not pop a photo into your volunteer's greeting card? It could be a candid shot of your volunteer in action, or the volunteer team photo. Want to dress it up for the holidays? Consider adding an edge design or text at the photo store. Another card add-in is a copy of a news report of the volunteer's efforts. These are small gifts, but they let people take pride in their service. Any of these mementos could be fridge door worthy treasures throughout the year.

Go Emoji Happy
A stylish, inexpensive gift this year is an emoji pin. Buy a few (or buy bulk online) and include them with a greeting card or other note. Try adding a fun headline like "volunteers spread the love," or "your service brightens our world."

Posting Props
Take out a Christmas thank you ad in the local paper. Be specific about the real victories the volunteers have won. If you have permission, use photos of your volunteers in action and their names.

A Thank You That Hangs Around
A Christmas tree ornament is a gratitude gift that glitters for years to come. For smaller groups, match the ornaments with the volunteer's talents. For example, a kitchen helper could get a fruit or candy ornament. A musician might get an instrument or note ornament. For bigger groups, the ornaments can be subtly printed with the organization name.

The Spoken Word
The spoken word delivers the most direct but often overlooked gratitude of all. "Thanks. You do great work here. You make a difference. Merry Christmas."

Gratitude, like worship, is a fantastic part of living in God's Kingdom.

Making sure your people feel appreciated is a year-round calling. It is a pleasure too. You are so proud of your volunteers. They put their heart into your community through their unique talents. You may know that your best volunteers are the least likely to want flashy rewards. Instead it's true appreciationhowever you try to show itthat is the sweetest holiday treat.

Thanks for reading. I'm Janet McLeod Wortel, a Christian copywriter. I live near Toronto, Canada with my resourceful husband, two overly inventive kids, and a cuddly geriatric cat.

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