Christmas is the season of giving, and there are few better ways to spend it than volunteering abroad. Picture it: a new country, new friends, festive lights in the markets and the knowledge that your time is making someone’s holiday a little brighter.
India in December is cool, sunny and full of celebration. Here are eight reasons to volunteer in India over Christmas 2026.
1. Celebrate a compassionate Christmas
Nelson Mandela said that our human compassion binds us to one another, “not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learned how to turn our common sufferings into hope for the future.” Spend Christmas in that spirit: as a companion and helper to children and families who can use one. Organize a small celebration with the staff at your project, help decorate the center, or simply bring your energy to the classroom. Small acts of kindness go a long way.
2. Choose from a range of projects
If you are good with children, our street children program in Delhi and childcare program in Jaipur will keep you busy with games, lessons and crafts. If you would like to support people with disabilities, try our special needs program in Delhi. If women’s rights matter to you, join the women’s empowerment program. Whichever you choose, prepare a few activities before you come: games, picture cards and simple lessons that work without much shared language.
3. Discover how India celebrates Christmas
Christianity has deep roots in India, and over the centuries Christmas has blended with local customs, food and music. In Delhi, the Sacred Heart Cathedral near Connaught Place holds a packed midnight mass, churches and markets are strung with lights, and bakeries fill their windows with plum cake. Volunteering at this time of year gives you a front-row seat.
4. See the Himalayas in winter
India is mostly warm, but the north meets the Himalayas, and in winter the hill stations can see snow. Shimla and McLeod Ganj are popular for a festive long weekend: think mountain views, cozy cafes and carols. Your coordinator can help you plan the journey, and our weekend trips cover the Taj Mahal, Jaipur, Amritsar and Varanasi.
5. Do your Christmas shopping in India
Christmas is also about presents, and Delhi is a shopper’s dream. Handicrafts, block-printed textiles, silver jewelry and spices from Sarojini Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Dilli Haat and the Tibetan market at Majnu ka Tilla make gifts nobody back home will have. Leave room in your luggage.
6. Taste Christmas, Indian-style
You will find plum cake, puddings and gingerbread in bakeries all over Delhi, and many restaurants serve special Christmas menus. Look out for Goan, Kerala and Anglo-Indian Christmas dishes, and don’t miss the winter street food: hot jalebis, roasted sweet potato and steaming cups of masala chai.
7. Spend New Year’s Eve somewhere new
The festive season doesn’t end on December 25. Stay on for New Year’s Eve in Delhi, help your project prepare for the new year, or ring it in with the friends you have made. It is cold at night, so bring layers.
8. Celebrate with new friends
This year, celebrate with people from all over the world. You will share your accommodation with other volunteers, and by Christmas you will know each other well. Plan a small party (our coordinator can help), swap gifts, share your own traditions and learn some new ones.
Volunteering in India at Christmas could well be the most memorable holiday you ever have. Flights fill up over the holidays, so book early: see our programs and dates and prices, or email info@volunteeringindia.com. We hope to host you soon.