This is, without a shadow of a doubt, my favorite time of the year. The reason? Because it’s filled with magic! And the magic is found in that sparkle in the eyes of boys and girls everywhere. It’s a sparkle that, unfortunately, fades so fast as we learn more and more about “real life” and have to navigate our way through it. But at least for me, by diving head first into the magic of the season and by participating with my kids as they enjoy this time of year, my heart grows two sizes and I find more reasons to smile and celebrate and simply be merry.

What are some of the things that cause your children’s eyes to just light up? Today I want to share with one one of things that my girls love the most: animals. My youngest loves all things dog: from tea cup poodles to big wolves, she’s down with the canines! And my oldest goes for cats, with cheetahs being her absolutely favorite (her biggest wish is to get to pet a cheetah one day…a tough wish to grant as a Google search will tell you!).

I’m not going to be able to grant that wish this Christmas (or quite possibly ever) but one thing I can do this year as I think about charitable organizations that my family would like to give to is to honor their love of animals through a donation. This year we are making a donation to Wildlife S.O.S. And speaking of things being downright magical, let me show you how I made that donation. I participated in GoodWorld’s (#12daygiveaway) and simply commented with #donate.

Animals make my girls eyes light up in such a magical way. I may only be one person, but I can contribute in a meaningful way to make sure that my girls will grow up continuing to enjoy the beauty of incredible wild animals, and that their children will be able to do the same. And by contributing, I’m not just helping to secure this reality for my children, but for children everywhere.  I’m also practicing what I preach about the importance of giving, and I know that actions speak louder than words to kids.

It was SO easy for me to make a donation.  I simply clicked on this link for Wildlife SOS and commented with #donate $25. Here’s the best part: it’s just that easy for you to participate, too! GoodWorld has a so you can choose the one that speaks to your heart the most. You can donate any amount that you like!

There’s never been a better (or easier!) time to give back to great nonprofits. Won’t you join me and GoodWorld during the 12 Days of Giving from now through December 23rd? Here’s a super short video that shows you exactly how giving works through GoodWorld:

 $1,000 Giveaway!

Giving is a wonderful thing to do simply because it is, but right now, GoodWorld is making it even MORE wonderful. If you donate to or you will be automatically entered to win a $1,000 Amazon gift card! And guess what else? You can spread the word on your social media accounts through a referral link, and each referral you send to GoodWorld will also result in another entry for you!