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 In the article, “Use Random Acts of Kindness to
Improve Your Holidays,” Patricia Davis says, “During the holidays
we’re more likely to reach out to one another in service and love.
At least, that’s what we’re told we should do.” Though Christmas can
be stressful, Davis says, “small acts of kindness are easy to do”
and may “brighten the lives of everyone around you in small ways and
help you get in the holiday spirit.”
There are many simple ways to show kindness during this season.
Lincoln resident Elizabeth Wrage’s recently self-published book
Christmas Kindness for Kids is about practicing kindness at the
holidays. Wrage said she wrote it four years ago for her daughters
Ellie and Olivia after looking for advent books.
Wrage was drawn to Elf on the Shelf and was looking for something
every day. She also had seen some nativity pieces where you collect
different pieces of the nativity, but she did not feel it would
engage the kids. There were also basic countdowns to Christmas where
the children could open a door and get candy.
Even though there were a lot of options, Wrage could not find
exactly what she wanted. She wanted something fun that involved
looking for something, but had a purpose.
Wrage had seen kindness calendars online, but few incorporated the
message of Christmas and celebrating Christ’s birth.
So, she decided to write her own book. She wanted her book to
incorporate choosing to do kind things to show God’s love to others.
Initially, Wrage did a photo shoot with dolls and printed the photos
and a rhyming story for her kids. When friends encouraged her to
publish the book, Wrage self-published it because it was quick, and
she could order small quantities. A Facebook group helped her with
writing and marketing the book.
The premise of Wrage’s story is two children who are excited about
Christmas and the gift, but eventually realize Christmas is about
Christ’s birth and giving generous gifts. In the rhyming story,
kindness helps the children show gratitude for others. The book is
locally illustrated by her sister-in-law Jessica Wrage.
Wrage said you can read the book everyday until Christmas to teach
kids about being kind to their family, neighborhood and community.
There is a second book that is a companion to the Kindness book that
gives families an idea of acts to do not just at Christmas, but all
year. This book has 30 kindness suggestions that are on tear out
pages promoting ideas.
Though the first book presents the idea of kindness, Wrage said the
second book equips families with ideas for acting and doing rather
than just thinking. For instance, a couple choices are to take care
of pets or donate toys. It also shows kids ways to be generous
without having to spend money. Wrage said being kind is a gift to
others.
The books have been shipped as far away as Australia, plus
California, South Carolina and Texas. Wrage said it will be
interesting to see what is happening with them.
Another way to teach kids about kindness is through a kindness
advent calendar promoting activities for each day that exhibit
kindness to others.
Channel Mum on YouTube says these activities bring the true spirit
of Christmas into your home while making others feel special.
Acts of kindness include sorting toys to give to children who do not
have much and making a Christmas card for a neighbor. For elderly
neighbors, getting a card might make their day.
Another activity involves dropping some food at the local bank,
which could help contribute to someone’s Christmas dinner when they
otherwise might not have one.
By the time the children have completed 24 acts of kindness, Channel
Mum says they should learn the true spirit of Christmas. She says to
remind kids they do not need a kindness calendar to spread kindness.
Now that they know what to do, they can do it at any time.
Channel Mum provides a free printables of these calendars on her
site
Christmas
Random Acts of Kindness Calendar for Children, Channel Mum
Many YouTube videos show people practicing kindness to strangers at
the holidays by paying for their purchases.
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 For example, one December, Ann Marie Richter
decided she wanted to teach her grandchildren about giving and
kindness around the holidays by going to stores and having each of
her grandchildren pick a person and buy all their items.
Richter and the kids followed the person around the
store and when at the cash register, the children pay for
everything.
Many respond with smiles, tears of happiness, thanks and even hugs.
When one man protested that his items were too expensive, Richter
insisted they be allowed to buy them.
Richter says, we intend to change the world with one random act of
kindness at a time.
See how people respond in:
Random Act Of
Kindness: Buying people's items and gifts
In a season about caring for people where we are to follow Jesus’
command to love one another, Ben Piershale says find someone you can
make a difference for this season and then do it because there’s
nothing quite like loving people.
Piershale’s video shows the manager of one grocery store as he tells
various shoppers their groceries are being paid for by an anonymous
donor. Though some initially think he is kidding or crazy, they are
very thankful and happy someone has paid for their groceries.
Surprising
people for the holidays: better to give
When three individuals have the opportunity to give gifts to
strangers, what the individuals receive surprises them as they find
themselves blessed too.
Personal trainer Leslie, marathon runner Marquis and cyclist Jeff,
all have stories of hardship growing up and are excited to surprise
others.
Jeff is given the chance to give away bikes, Leslie gives away
tablets full of empowering books to help others and Marquis gives
$100 to several runners.
Jeff explains, “Riding a bicycle has made me a better person, so if
I could give that to somebody else and change their life hopefully
for the better, that would mean the world to me.”
Marquis felt giving runners $100 “would change someone’s life.”
Leslie said giving books away “warmed my heart a little bit.”
One who received a tablet said Leslie made a not so great day
amazing. A recipient of the money says she will use it to help her
mom.
Marquis says changing someone’s life is powerful, Jeff says it is
“one of the coolest feelings I have ever had” and Leslie says it “is
the best day of my life.”
The three all find out that making someone’s day makes their days
too.
Watch what happens in:
We surprised
strangers with gifts and everyone got the 'feels'
Though many of these acts of kindness require spending money, as the
family kindness advent calendar and Wrage’s book show, acts of
kindness do not have to cost much and can provide great happiness to
others during the holiday season.
Related links:
Visit
Christmaskindness.com for Christmas Kindness books and free
downloadables, plus an occasional blog by Wrage.
#CKindKids
Channel Mum: #CMKindness
https://www.channelmum.com/
parenting/christmas/christmas-kindness-advent-calendar/
Davis, Patricia. Use Random Acts of Kindness to Improve Your
Holidays. Nov 30, 2018.
https://intermountainhealthcare.org/
blogs/topics/live-well/2018/11/use-random-acts-of-kindness-to-improve-your-holidays/
[Angela Reiners]
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