Introduction

Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday is a time for us to remember his legacy, celebrate his life and his contributions to the world, and recommit ourselves to fighting for justice. It's also a great excuse for a party! Here are some ideas for how you can celebrate this important day:

Remember that any one can make a difference in their community.

Let's get real. You don't need to be a politician or celebrity to make a difference in your community. We're all capable of making an impact, and we can do it every day without being rich or famous. If you work at a fast-food restaurant and are doing your job well? You just made someone's day by serving them their burger fresh and hot! If you volunteer with Habitat for Humanity? You're making a house into a home for someone who truly needs it.

So go ahead: celebrate MLK Day by volunteering at the Humane Society, helping out at a soup kitchen, or just by doing small things like holding open doors for people (bonus points if they look like they could use some encouragement).

Do something for someone else with no expectation of getting anything in return.

One of the best ways to celebrate Dr. King's birthday is to do something for someone else with no expectation of getting anything in return.

Here are some examples:

• Give your neighbor’s kid a piggyback ride around the block, or ask them if they want to kick a ball around in the backyard with you and your own kids.

• Volunteer at an animal shelter or help out at a food bank (or both!). This can be particularly meaningful if you're volunteering on behalf of someone who needs it more than you do; I once volunteered at an animal shelter on MLK Day after hearing about how my friend's elderly father was lonely and wanted companionship—and one of his favorite things was helping out at the local pet rescue center. He loved being there so much that he stayed until closing time!

Reach out to your neighbors, both near and far, and let them know that you care about them.+

In other words, don't be afraid to ask your neighbors for help. And don't be afraid to say "thank you."

We live in an increasingly disconnected world where people are less inclined to talk to their neighbors and worry more about the pings on their phones than the pangs in their hearts. I know this because I am one of those people who is more likely to respond with a thumbs up emoji than engage in civil conversation with a stranger. But that's why we have MLK Jr. Day: To remind us all that our lives are better when we communicate with each other, even if it's just saying good morning or asking how someone's day is going.

In addition to reaching out physically (and digitally), you should also reach out emotionally by helping others out as much as possible—especially those who may need some extra assistance at this time of year due to financial struggles or health problems.

Share this important day with your family—plan activities and meals together.

Let’s face it: family time is important. With the busy schedules of adults and children, it can be hard to find the time to spend together. But Martin Luther King Day is a great opportunity to get your whole family involved in planning a fun activity or making a special meal together.

Don’t just sit around watching TV all day! Make sure you plan ahead so that everyone can manage their other commitments and still have some quality time with each other on Martin Luther King Day.

If you want to make this day extra special, give everyone in your family a role in planning what they will do together on January 15th (or 16th if you live on the west coast).

Make a point to teach your children about Dr. King’s life and contributions to the world.

If you’re anything like me, when your children ask about the origins of America’s Civil Rights Movement, you tell them that it happened because people were tired of being treated differently just because they were black and wanted to be treated equally. This is true—but it’s also a little bit too simple. The real story is much more complicated than that. It was Dr. King who led the movement forward every step of the way while facing incredible adversity from all sides (including those in his own party). He put his life on the line so that everyone could live free from fear and hatred; he gave up everything he had—his family, his home and job—because he believed so strongly in what was right and good for humanity: equality under law and justice for all! If we want our kids to know who MLK was then we need not only teach them about him but also show them how important it was for him to speak out against injustice wherever he saw or heard about it through various media outlets (movies, books etc.).

If possible, attend a rally or march dedicated to civil rights or social justice. If not possible, use the hashtag #MLKday on social media to promote awareness.

If you’re not able to attend a rally or march on Monday, don’t despair. There are ways to participate online as well. On Facebook and Twitter, use the hashtag #MLKday. You can also post status updates about how you plan on spending your day (you could even share photos of yourself at a rally!).

You can also opt for a more proactive approach by using social media platforms to raise awareness about how we can better honor Dr. King’s legacy through current events in our own community—and beyond. By sharing relevant stories with friends and family members, you can help keep conversations about civil rights going all year long!

There are many ways you can honor Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.

• Be kind to others.

• Donate money to a charity.

• Volunteer at a homeless shelter or food bank.

• Donate blood.

• Donate your time to a local organization that could use it, like the animal shelter or children’s hospital (or even just someone who needs help moving).

• Donate food to your local shelter, or donate clothing as well - they'll put it to good use!

Conclusion

It’s easy to be cynical about holidays today. It seems like every day is for something else, and we get bombarded with messages telling us how to celebrate them. But this day is special because it honors the life and legacy of one of America’s greatest leaders. We hope that you will use this holiday as an opportunity to learn more about Dr. King’s life and accomplishments, as well as why they are so important in our history today. Even if you don't agree with everything Reverend King stood for, please remember that he was a man who changed the world through his faith in humanity—and that's why today should matter to all of us