On the first day of Christmas Pete the Cat reminded me...
Giving is GROOVY!
It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle-bustle this time of year. There is so much to DO, there are places to BE, and there are constant reminders to GIVE. While we all want to teach our children to give back, sometimes giving can feel like just another thing on the never-ending seasonal to-do list. This is why Harper Collins Kids and Pete the Cat want to help bring the fun back into giving. Giving isn’t a chore, giving is GROOVY!
East Tucson Macaroni Kid recently partnered with the Hermitage Cat Shelter for a storytime and giving event that was pretty darn GROOVY. Families brought much-appreciated donations to the Hermitage, and then everyone gathered on the “catio” to make treats for the cats and listen to the new Pete the Cat Christmas book, 12 Groovy Days of Christmas by James Dean. Some of the Hermitage resident kitties even joined in the fun! You can check out the photo album from our event on Facebook HERE.
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Pete the Cat's 12 Groovy Days of Christmas has Pete giving all kinds of wacky and fun things to his friends. The children at our storytime enjoyed trying to predict what GROOVY gifts Pete would give next. Would it be socks? Bugs? A bunch of bouncing balls? (Yes, to that last one!) By the end of the story, we were all singing the list of gifts at the top of our voices, with “...Fiiiive Onion Rings” being the favorite verse, by far. Check out the book and just try to keep yourself from singing it to the tune of the original song! You can also sing along with this video:
While Pete’s gifts to his friends are funny and unusual, the book helps to spark conversation about giving in general. Harper Collins and Pete the Cat have some additional suggestions about how to involve children in giving this season in thoughtful, hands-on, GROOVY ways. Here are some ideas:
1. Help the elderly by opening doors, offering to help with stairs or difficult paths, and offering to carry large or heavy packages.
2. Send a letter or care package to military members to show your support for the men and women in uniform.
3. Say Thank You. Write a note or say thank you to community members like the mail person, garbage collectors, firefighters, and police.
4. Create a Change Jar. Fill an empty jar with loose change and when the jar is full, decide where to contribute the money. Once it’s empty, fill it again and donate to an organization of your choice.
5. Donate food, blankets, or other needed items to an animal shelter (like the Hermitage).
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Hosting our storytime at the Hermitage was a perfect fit for this event, especially since the real cat that inspired Pete was a shelter cat himself before James Dean adopted him. The Hermitage has been a sanctuary for homeless Tucson cats for over 50 years, dedicated to the shelter, protection, and care of all cats, but especially those that are often not considered adoptable by other organizations. The Hermitage also operates a pet pantry for people who may not have the means to buy supplies for their pets. Cat and dog owners alike can stop in for pet food and other supplies in times of need. GROOVY!
Our storytime participants brought cat food, cleaning supplies, and even office supplies to donate to the Hermitage. You can help, too! Check out https://hermitagecatshelter.org/ and click on the Donate Tab for a link to their wish list, information about how to sponsor a cat, and details about Cans for Cats, their can recycling program. You can also help by attending Hermitage events, like the monthly Cat Club or Cat Yoga!
However you choose to give back this holiday season, or anytime throughout the year, it will definitely be GROOVY!
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Thanks to Rachel Broderick for the wonderful photos, to the Hermitage for sharing their space and their cats with us, and to our storytime attendees for their wonderful donations. I received compensation for this sponsored review and event.
