Quotes About Generosity

There is precious little that's charitable about the world of charity.

I was 23 when I learned how to cook; I grew up around the same time. It was precisely then that Thanksgiving started to mean something more. Growing up, Christmas was always about me, and eventually you, when I finally started to enjoy the giving part. But Thanksgiving is always about us.

I prefer being able to choose who I want to help or what I want to improve in the world by making a lot of money myself rather than just going out there and talking about things. If you have money to do things, it's much better than just talking about them.

I see this as my humanitarian legacy. We're prepared to pay billions.

I might not be a great cook when I am preparing something for myself, but when it comes to cooking for others, somehow my cooking skills are at their best.

A gift, with a kind countenance, is a double present.

I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah.

Back in Israel, I would spend much effort and plenty of money on presents when I went abroad, even if it was only for two days.

People say I don't write books, I make Christmas presents.

But I also like to shower my parents with presents. I bought them a beautiful car and a house.

I have a very big family and a lot of friends, and buying presents is one of my favorite things to do.

One Christmas I had no money, and so I went home and just, like, wrote a poem; I mean, I didn't write them, but I just handed out poems as Christmas presents. Like, 'Here's a Pablo Neruda poem that really made me think of you.'

I get mad when people give me presents. I don't want them, I don't need them.

Yes, my parents brought us up like anybody else. We didn't get any more presents than other people.

Only now that I'm a mum can I fully understand the terrible pressure parents feel buying presents for their kids. My mum had four children plus all of the extended family and she not only had to feed us all but she bought presents for everyone, too.

I pride myself on buying really good presents.

My grandmother adopted me for a while, and I was bouncing around a bit. I was always helped by the PTA and church groups with food and Christmas presents. It's a hard cycle to break, because when you don't have the resources, it's almost impossible.

Knowing that more people associate Chicago with street violence than generosity is difficult for me because, despite all my proclamations of being from the Bay Area, I have spent much of my life in Chicago. So I have a deep love and a pretty good understanding of the city.

Any time I'm donating to charity, I feel it's very daunting.

Growing up, it was just me and my mom. I watched her struggle for 17 years, and when I was 19, I got a chance to pay off all of her debt after two paychecks. That's a crazy feeling.

Without these people who want selfies? People pay decent money to come and watch you. It doesn't hurt to take time out, and give back.

Compassion comes from a choice and not the liberal definition of a choice - the choice to say I can do with a little less so my brother can have a little more.

I'm delighted to be Number 1, but next week I don't want people to buy my record, I want them to buy Band Aid.

When you're blessed, you've got to be sensitive to people that don't have and need to depend on somebody else to eat.