Riverside, California (NAPSI) - Even with all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, showing your children the true spirit of the season can be done-and be fun. Here are eight easy ways parents can help children experience the joy of giving during this holiday season and throughout the years to come.

1. Spirit for heroes: Send the love and warmth overseas to troops during this holiday season. Create a care package to send to a soldier you may know or through an organization that handles shipping. Check the armed forces’ websites, such as www.army.mil or www.navy.mil, to see what is acceptable to send.

2. Homemade centerpieces: Create a homemade centerpiece to give to family and friends for their holiday tables. A gumdrop spice-candy tree is a great project for children to work on. Place gumdrops on toothpicks and stick them into a small Styrofoam tree. Arrange the gumdrops so the colors vary in this creative centerpiece.

3.Holidayhope chests: Have your children create holiday “hope chests” by decorating shoeboxes or plastic containers with wrapping paper and stickers. Fill these chests with small toys and art and school supplies to deliver to children at nearby shelters or hospitals.

4. Cookies in a jar: Help your children bake sugar cookies or gingerbread men and put them in a festive cookie jar as a gift for a neighbor or someone who lives alone. Top the jar off with a colorful ribbon and a holiday greeting card.

5. Senior center cheer: Bring holiday cheer to a local senior center for those who are unable to visit their families during the season. The children can sing carols, read holiday classics and enjoy a nice chat with the seniors in their neighborhood.

6. For many families, enjoying a holiday movie together may be one of the best ways of introducing ideas to share, and to start meaningful family conversations.

For example, there’s Disney’s latest holiday movie available on Blu-ray™ and DVD, “Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups.” It follows a new litter of adorable talking Great Pyrenees pups. While in Santa’s Workshop, they realize the best way to prove they’re responsible enough to become Santa’s Helpers is to spread the Christmas spirit all by themselves. It’s a charming story about giving back and granting wishes.

7. Animal love: Carry the love over to the four-legged family members by assisting the children in washing, grooming and hugging their pets.

8. Reindeer gift bags: Set up these cute reindeer gift bags to give to family members and friends. Fill decorated brown paper lunch bags with small treats and handmade cards. Spoonful.com makes it easy to create these friendly gift bags at http://spoonful.com/crafts/reindeer-gift-bag.

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For further information about the movie, you can visit www.disney.go.com.