It is always good for people and businesses to give back, but this is especially true at Christmas. This festive period can be a time to reflect on other people and do something for the benefit of others. As well as being a nice thing to do, good deeds can be great for your business image and PR. Many companies use Christmas as a reason to give back and do something good for other people, so, having been inspired by what some companies have been doing, here are 12 good deeds which you can do this Christmas.

1. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.

Soup kitchens give the chance for homeless or deprived people to get a hot meal, safety, support and living essentials, as well as company and friendships in a secure environment. Marks & Spencer regularly sends teams of volunteers to help out at soup kitchens. Ease Scale ***

2. Donate toys. 

There are many needy children who deserve a little more attention, especially at Christmas. This year, The Disney Store provided the 2,000 soft toys, which make up the entire 14-metre high Christmas tree at St Pancras International station. The toys will be donated to the children’s charity KIDS. Ease Scale ****

3. Donate cash.

Many companies give a straight donation or percentage of sales or profits to charity. Waitrose is a great example of this, even employing their green token scheme which allows their customers to vote for a charity where the money will be donated. Ease Scale

4. Give your time.

Companies such as Harry’s Razors encourage their employees to give 1% of their time to charity by donating 1% of sales to charity. Ease Scale ****

5. Throw a fundraising night.

A business can organize a charity fundraising night, such as a quiz night, race night or festive event. Dunelm is a great example of a company fundraising in this way. Ease Scale ***

6. Sell something.

Sterling Jewellers sells Christmas bears and send the proceeds to charity. This is a great idea if you are already selling something as it can be incorporated into your day-to-day business. Ease Scale **

7. Help good people.

People who do good work within the community may often be forgotten, so it’s nice at Christmas for communities to show that they appreciate their work. Spire Homes and Keepmoat give money, Christmas trees and gifts to invaluable people within the community. Ease Scale ***

8. Redecorate community centers.

The folks at John Lewis in Reading gave back to the community and boosted their brand locally by redecorating their local community centre. Ease Scale

9. Participate in a charity found on packaging.

You can help with advertising charities on the packaging of your product—Pret A Manger, for example, put charity logos on their cups and other packaging. Ease Scale ***

Pret A Manger also features chosen charities on their marketing channels—telling their stories on social media and their website. Ease Scale ****

11. Donate items or money to collection buckets.

Businesses can create events such as a visit from Father Christmas or carol singing in the street, and make collections with boxes—just like the guys at Dobbies Garden Centres. Ease Scale

12. Participate in an online Christmas auction.

The Business Continuity Initiative is organizing an online Christmas auction with prizes such as football shirts and Christmas hampers. Ease Scale –    The benefits of paying back at Christmas are massive for businesses—within the company, the difference that you are making to people’s lives, and in the public view of your brand. Whilst there are ideas which involve a good deal of time and effort, there are also others which can be done simply. So get creative and start thinking about how your business can give back!