With only a couple of days left until Christmas, take a deep breath and sit quietly for about 10 minutes.  Slow down long enough to decide how you’ll put a smile on a stranger’s face or truly make the day of someone who’s fallen on hard times this holiday season.  It doesn’t need to take a lot of time or cost a lot of money—it simply requires you think about it and follow through with your plan.

There are so many wonderful things you can do—simply use your imagination.  Try to choose someone you don’t know very well or surprise a complete stranger.   To get you started, here are some ideas to get you thinking:

  • Leave $10 or $20 with the cashier at your grocery store and ask them to apply it to the bill of the next person who comes through the line.
  • Buy a large bag of dog or cat food and drop it off at your local shelter.
  • Cook your very favorite meal and take it to someone who’s recently suffered from an injury, illness or death in the family.
  • Buy a few small toys or stuffed animals and give it to the local toy drive.
  • Give a personalized gift certificate to an older person.  The certificate could be for something they really need—a ride to their doctor’s appointment or helping to plant their garden in the spring.

This year, Frank and I have decided to do something really simple.  We live in the city of Brotherly Love and happen to have a bus stop located right outside of our house.  People end up having to wait longer than usual during the holidays so we thought it would be a great idea to offer them a nice mug of hot chocolate to warm them up while they’re waiting.  It’s so simple yet, when you’re cold and someone brings you a nice warm drink, it can really make your day.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

I asked for only one gift this Christmas:  this beautiful, orphaned elephant named Naipoki.  This resilient 3 month old elephant fell in a well on two separate occasions in Northern Kenya. A small donation allows me to foster Naipoki for one year.  I’ll receive updates on her progress and her re-introduction into the wild.  If you’re interested in fostering an elephant, please visit The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.  They are dedicated to the protection and preservation of Africa’s wilderness—particularly endangered species such as elephants and black rhinos.

Make someone’s day and please share your random act of kindness with us.   Doing something from the heart can slowly change the world.   Pay it forward…and smile.

Happy Holidays!

Molly