‘Tis the season to be jolly.
It’s not just the opening line of “Deck the Halls,” it’s an expression of what this time of year is all about.
We don’t want to get too sappy on you, but you know what we’re getting at – whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Festivus, or all or none of the above, it’s the perfect time to show how you care.
One person who knows a thing or two about this is Jessica Fogg Livingston. You may remember her from a story last year about 100 Acts of Kindness, in which she and her family went around Concord giving strangers candy and just generally being pretty cool to everyone.
Livingston is still at it, and this year she’s pulled together a shorter list to pass on to the community, on behalf of the nonprofit Hearts for Kindness.
Since we can’t really expect everybody to be able to squeeze in 100 acts of kindness (although it’s probably not as hard as it seems), we figured a nice, neat package of 25 would be pretty feasible – not that there should ever be any limit to kindness, we just have a limited amount of space.
Here is a list of 25 Acts of Kindness all of us should do this holiday season, submitted by Livingston:
1. Pay a compliment to someone you know, but don’t speak to very often.
2. Hold the door for a stranger – with a greeting and a smile.
3. Mail an anonymous note to someone, letting them know they are cared about.
4. Help a neighbor with their yard.
5. Leave a special message for a family member you haven’t spoken to in a while.
6. Clean out your closet and donate what you haven’t used or no longer wear.
7. Pay a toll for the person behind you.
8. Volunteer at a local nonprofit organization.
9. Walk or exercise with a friend who needs some support and encouragement.
10. Comfort a friend.
11. Volunteer to serve on a committee for a nonprofit.
12. Tell Mom and Dad what they really mean to you.
13. Make a donation to a local nonprofit.
14. Be a support contact for a friend trying to quit smoking.
15. Hide notes of encouragement in your child’s snack or lunch box.
16. Send someone a birthday card.
17. Hand-make a gift for someone.
18. Buy a coffee for the person behind you in line.
19. Bring animal toys to an SPCA or other pet rescue organization.
20. Take a great picture you have of you with a friend and have it printed on a coffee mug as a gift.
21. Offer to help a friend prepare for a party.
22. Mind your words, be thoughtful – they can hurt others.
23. Donate gently used shoes.
24. Help a friend with a spring cleaning project.
25. Send a birthday wish for someone through their favorite radio station.
So there you have it. And remember, this doesn’t mean you should only do these specific 25 things and then call it a year. This is just a guide to get you started on your cheer-spreading, which doesn’t need to be limited to the month of December, either.
For more information about Hearts for Kindness, go to heartsforkindness.com.
Insider staff
