Edited by Mikkel Hyldebrandt
As the year winds its way into the glitter-streaked, cookie-crumbed, nostalgia-drenched final stretch, we’re reminded that the holiday season is about more than string lights and sequins — it’s about generosity. For LGBTQ+ folks, that word holds unique weight. We’ve built families from scratch, shared couches when someone needed a landing place, and thrown lifelines to one another when the world looked the other way. So when December rolls around, embracing the spirit of giving isn’t just a tradition — it’s a continuation of our legacy.
Let’s start with the simplest form: giving financially. Donations, whether large or pocket-change small, are powerful. Many organizations that serve LGBTQ+ communities are grassroots operations that survive on heart, hustle, and community kindness. Think about giving to local queer youth shelters, HIV service organizations, and nonprofits focused on mental health or housing. Your dollars don’t have to be dramatic — they just need to be intentional. A recurring donation of even $10 can help someone access medication, therapy, or a bed for the night. It’s a way of quietly declaring, “I refuse to let my community fall through the cracks.”
But giving isn’t just a transaction. Sometimes the most meaningful offering is time. Volunteering can be one of the most transformative forms of giving back. Whether it’s packing food boxes, handing out care kits, mentoring queer teens, or helping run a local trans clothing drive, the hours you show up matter. You don’t need to arrive as the most confident, most “qualified,” or most charismatic person in the room. Presence alone is a gift. We’ve all felt forgotten at some point — imagine how powerful it is to be the one who refuses to forget others.
Then there’s the kind of giving that happens not out in the world, but at the dining table, under the Christmas tree, or in a text thread. Thoughtful gifts can educate, liberate, and connect. If you’re that queer cousin who magically appears with great hair and better advice once a year, consider gifting books by queer authors, zines about trans joy, or art created by LGBTQ+ creators — especially BIPOC artists. Give experiences: tickets to a drag show, memberships to a queer film festival, or donations made in someone’s name to an LGBTQ+ nonprofit. Sometimes a gift is stealth activism: “Look, Aunt Carol, a coffee table book about queer icons — and yes, you’re welcome.”
And finally, there’s a kind of giving we often neglect — giving to ourselves. If the holidays feel heavy, if family gatherings are complicated, or if you’re simply exhausted, remember that boundaries are a gift too. Taking time to rest, to reflect, to nourish yourself — mentally, physically, spiritually — isn’t selfish. It’s maintenance. You cannot pour into others if your own cup is cracked. Let the season remind you that you’re worthy of softness and comfort, not just resilience.
Queerly beloved, giving isn’t about perfection. It isn’t about who donates the most, volunteers the longest, or gives the quirkiest gifts. It’s about connection. It’s about seeing one another, lifting one another, and pushing the world — even a little — toward the future we deserve. The season will come and go, but the impact we create? That can last all year.