Light the World Giving Machines, a charitable take on vending machines, have become a beloved Christmas tradition for Latter-day Saints around the world. In recent years, they have even caught the attention of national media, with Drew Barrymore, the Kansas City Chiefs, and others highlighting the initiative.
If you don’t live close to a Giving Machine or are unable to visit one, there are many ways to catch the spirit of the season. Here are just a few ideas to keep in mind!
Check on Giving Machine Locations
Keona Ojelade steps up to make her choice at Canada’s first Light the World Giving Machines in Calgary, Alberta, on November 29, 2022. | Church NewsroomEvery year, more and more locations are being added for the Giving Machines. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announces the list each year on their website here. In 2025, there are Giving Machines in 126 cities across 21 countries. Make sure to check and see if a new one has arrived near you!
It the Giving Machines are a little far, consider making it a ward activity or a youth trip to go and visit.
Visit JustServe.org
The Church encourages those without access to a Giving Machine to find ways to serve locally through JustServe.org. Organized by the Church, the site makes it easy to discover and join service opportunities happening right in your community.
But the spirit of Light the World extends well beyond any website. While financial contributions can bless lives across the world, Christlike service, offered freely and thoughtfully, has always been at the heart of this initiative.
Small, simple service is often the most meaningful. You can check on a neighbor who lives alone, leave a kind note for someone who needs encouragement, or help a friend facing a hard day.
Families might choose an evening to deliver treats, sing carols, or help someone decorate for the holidays. Teenagers can shovel snow, babysit for exhausted parents, or volunteer at a local food pantry. Children can draw cheerful pictures, donate toys they’ve outgrown, or help assemble hygiene kits.
Service can also be woven naturally into daily life. Letting someone go ahead in line, offering sincere compliments, pausing to listen when someone needs to talk—these small gestures embody the heart of Light the World.
Research Local Charities & Gather Donations
Giving Machines are filled with needed items for local and global charities. If you are unable to visit, consider researching local charities in your area. Many offer events, volunteer opportunities, and easy ways to donate online.
Ponder on what issues are important to you and go find who in your community is helping to address those issues.
One idea is to host a donation activity, such as a service auction or information night. Gather people together and take digital donations through a platform like Venmo or PayPal. Auction off items or provide an activity. Throughout the night, allow people to donate. Then, donate all of those funds to the local charity of your choice.
Sharing Christ’s Light Wherever You Are
Even without a nearby kiosk, the spirit of Light the World is as accessible as ever. Through supporting local charities, purposeful service, and simple daily kindness, anyone can join in this effort to share Christ’s light with the world.
Whether your offering comes through a visit to the Giving Machine or a quiet act of love in your neighborhood, you’re helping to carry forward the message at the heart of the Christmas season: that light grows each time we give it away.
Share your Light the World experiences in the comments below!
Aleah is a graduate of Southern Virginia University, where she studied English, Creative Writing, and Dance. She now works full time as a marketing and product manager, writer, and editor. She currently hosts the podcast “Single to the Glory” about singlehood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Aleah served a mission in California and loves baking, Lang Leav poetry, Gaynor Minden pointe shoes, and Bollywood movies.
