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Our family has treasured the milk-and-cookies-for-Santa tradition over the years.  I left milk and cookies for Santa when I was a kid and all three of my children have done the same. My kids have left personal notes for Santa.  They’ve thought to leave cookies for Mrs. Claus and to leave carrots for the reindeer.  One year we made magic feed oats for the reindeer.  We’ve all loved the tradition and the excitement it adds to Christmas.  But my kids are getting older and …. well, older (edited for nosey internet savvy little ones).  I’ve just discovered a wonderful new milk-for-Santa tradition for my family, thanks to The Great American Milk Drive.

A few weeks back, I shared some tips on what donations are desperately needed by your local food bank.  I forgot to add milk.  It is seldom donated and much-needed by families.  On average, food bank clients receive the equivalent of less than one gallon of milk per person per year.  My family can easily go through 6 gallons a week! That’s quite a disparity.

This year we will still be leaving a plate of cookies for Santa, but this year we’ll be donating his glass of milk (plus a couple of gallons more) to our local food bank.  I’ll be sure to talk with my children about the importance of helping others in our community all year-long, but especially at this holiday season filled with love and generosity.  I’ll also take advantage of a mama-teaching moment and share with them:

• Whether at home or at school, breakfast helps kids be at their best in the classroom and on the playground. A good breakfast, with milk, gives kids nutrients and energy they need to fuel active, successful days.
• Studies show that breakfast eaters have better scores on math, reading and standardized tests; are better able to pay attention; and have fewer absences and incidents of tardiness, compared to breakfast skippers.

The Great American Milk Drive makes it easy for us to start our new milk-for-Santa tradition.

Make a donation online   Starting Giving Tuesday (December 2) through December 31, America’s dairy farmers and milk companies will match all donations made at www.MilkLife.com/give making milk gallons multiply at your local food bank this holiday season. By entering your zip code, you can ensure that milk is delivered to a local food bank to help nourish children in your own community.

Spread the word    For every share of this Great American Milk Drive video, a one-gallon donation will be made to one of the more than 200 food banks served by Feeding America.

Learn more   Follow The Great American Milk Drive on Facebook and Twitter.

Milk is requested by food bank clients for its taste and for its nutritional value:  8 grams of high-quality protein per serving and three of the top nutrients most likely to be missing in the American diet – calcium, vitamin D and potassium.

Will you join my family in The Great American Milk Drive and our new milk-for-Santa Tradition?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Susan

I’m a mom of 3, a veteran and military spouse. I’ve moved into 20+ homes all around the world. My passion is helping busy people make the space and time for what’s really important to them.