31 Random Acts Of Kindness
Hello, December! It hardly seems possible we are only a few weeks away from Christmas!
The other day, I shared on my Insta stories that we made a little goodie basket for our delivery teams. We added in some of our favorite granola bars, fresh fruit and bottled water with a little note thanking them for working so hard to help make our holidays happy. I can only imagine how hectic this time of year is for them and I want them to know we so appreciate them delivering our holiday gifts on time and getting our holiday cards to and from our loved ones. I got so many messages that you loved this idea and it makes me so happy so many of you want to try this.
I was inspired to come up with a list of other small ways to spread joy this holiday season. While any of these could certainly be done any time during the year (and I encourage kindnesss always!) I thought it would be fun to come up with one random act of kindness you can do each day of the month of December. So many of these are wonderful things to do with your kids, too! With gifts to buy, parties to attend, decorations to get up, baking to be done and all the other tasks on our holiday to do list it can be easy to become overwhelmed and to get lost in the crazy of the season instead of remembering what it’s really all about.
Whether you do one of these or all 31, I hope you’ll consider trying to spread some joy this month. A little can go a long way and you never know just how much you may positively leave a mark on someone’s heart. If you feel compelled to share any of the acts you’ve done, I’d love to see them! Tag them with #joyfulstylishgiving
Set up a small bowl or basket of your favorite on-the-go treats for your UPS, USPS, FedEx, etc. Leave them a note of gratitude with the treats on your front porch or in your building mail room.
Sponsor a child in need of holiday gifts.
Make a donation to your favorite charity or non-profit organization.
Shovel your neighbor’s walkway/driveway/clean off their car the next time it snows.
Buy someone’s coffee (in line behind you, or purchase $5 gift cards and pass a few out.) I did this yesterday and the woman was so shocked!
Donate food to a local shelter.
Donate books, toys, clothes that you no longer need.
Send cards or donate toys to a children’s hospital.
Hand out gloves, hats and/or other warm items to homeless people.
Help someone unload their groceries in their car and then return their shopping cart for them.
Randomly leave candy canes on parked cars.
Visit a nursing home. Play board games, sing Christmas carols, learn about their favorite holiday memories.
Mail someone a handwritten letter.
Tell someone you admire how they are inspiring you.
Pick up the bill for someone eating alone at a restaurant. Or pay for their dessert!
Pay for someone’s gas! Tape a gift card to a gas pump.
Give at least one compliment to a stranger.
Leave a generous tip for your waitress.
Give up your seat on the bus or train. Or if you don’t use public transportation, let someone take your place in a long line somewhere.
Bring someone homemade cookies.
Send someone flowers. Or drop off a bunch to a hospital and let the nurse decide who needs them most.
Offer to walk a neighbor’s dog.
Hold the door for strangers every chance you get for the entire day.
Make a huge batch of your favorite dinner. Pack individual servings in tupperware containers and pass out to homeless people. You can also do this with warm hot chocolate or apple cider in to-go cups.
Smile the entire day and at everyone you encounter.
Call your parents or grandparents and tell them your favorite holiday memory from your childhood.
Hand out scratch off lottery tickets to co-workers (or strangers!)
Let someone you love know how and why you’re grateful for them.
Volunteer at a local soup kitchen.
Clean up litter in your neighborhood.
If you encounter someone asking for money or food, offer to sit and have a meal with them or take them to the store to get them some basic hygiene items or a warm coat.
Do you have any other random acts of kindness you love? I’d love to know!
