During the Holiday Season, more people give of their time, money and themselves than any other time of the year. My family has special traditions each Christmas Season - we choose a donation - this year was Operation Christmas Child - and let each of the children choose gifts, items and toys to "give" to a child near each of their ages. They help choose, wrap and give the gifts and as we are doing this, my husband and I spend time discussing how we try to help those who are in need - or have less that we do.
Helping others is a big part of our family life - and we want our children to continue giving to others as they grow, hopefully choosing to do so on their own . . . So, when my friend over at Stuff of Success mentioned that she was doing a Random Acts of Kindness Giveaway - I jumped at the chance to help her spread the message and giveaway to my followers as well -
In turn, I am asking that if you Enter this Giveaway - Please also Share it on your social media so that others may enter as well and spread around the Random Acts of Kindness!
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December 31st is my (stuff of success) birthday and last year I did this "project" and would love to do it again this year.
I decided to offer a $25 Amazon Gift Card for a giveaway. This giveaway will be different than any other, so PLEASE - enter, and enter daily! There is no sponsor - just me trying to make the world a better place.
From December 5th through December 31st I am asking you each to do one - just one - random act of kindness for someone. Your one and only daily entry is just to confirm completion of one Random Act of Kindness for the day!
Yes, the impetus for this giveaway is my birthday. But it is also the holiday season and there are so many people that just want to feel appreciated, needed and acknowledged. I am sure you see it every day - just like me. Here is your chance to do something about it.
Remember the starfish? Make a difference!
Lets make December 2013 a better time!
(Ideas/Suggestions can be found below Giveaway Tool)
Just do some random act of kindness (big or small)
- Confirm your one and only entry for the day. There is no requirement to
Like/Follow/Tweet/Retweet
anything. This is just my way of trying to make
December 2013 a better place for people who need help! Please join me - the
more we share this the greater the impact. Can you imagine if even 10 people
make an effort to do a Random Act of Kindness, each day, for 26 days!? All the
lives we can touch? What about if 1000 people do it? If you think you can't
make a difference ( and we absolutely all can) - this is your opportunity.
That's it. Just love your neighbor, people in need, friends etc... for one month, every single day! We can make a difference - and a huge one if we all put our hearts in it!
Enter the Giveaway Tool every day!
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And lastly-for anyone who donates to The Stuff of Success (gift to:
athenanagel at ct dot metrocast dot net
via PayPal) in the month of December - I will donate all of it to "Love 4 Laura" a K9 Rescue organization dedicated to saving the lives of dogs. You can read about Laura here - https://www.facebook.com/love4laura .
This cause is extremely important to me. Please consider donating even the smallest amount when you prepare to purchase your next cup of coffee or soft drink. Last year we donated to a local food bank. This year the "cause" my daughter and I have selected is Laura. So far we have already sent a box of toys. Next we wish to send them blankets so badly needed for the winter months.
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Need some ideas?
Hold the door open for
the person behind you.
Donate your old clothes
to someone in need. Your old is someone else’s new.
Write a positive review about a local business or author.
Listen to someone –
really LISTEN.
Donate blood. One
pint of blood can save up to three lives.
Volunteer at a hospital,
homeless shelter, nursing home, etc.
Help others.
House warming gifts for
new neighbors.
Share your umbrella with
a stranger on a rainy day.
Check up on someone who
looks lonely.
Let someone with only a
few items cut you in line at the grocery store.
Give words of
encouragement to someone about their dreams, no matter how big or small they
are.
Help someone get your
parking space in a crowded parking lot when you’re leaving.
Babysit for couples or
single parents who don’t get out much so they can have some alone time.
Look for ways to save a
few extra bucks a month and then donate that money.
Shop at local Salvation
Army or Goodwill thrift stores. The
money you spend will help others.
Help someone get
active.
Spend a few clicks of
your time at Free
Rice.
Make a difference in the
life of a child. Give them your time and undivided attention.
Pay for the person in
line behind you.
Drop off your old eye
glasses at your local LensCrafters or to your local Lions Club.
Create a care package
and send it to an active duty military unit.
Create a box of
Christmas cards and send it to Holiday Mail for Heroes (guidelines HERE)
Redirect gifts.
Instead of having people give you birthday and holiday gifts, ask them to
donate gifts or money to a good cause.
The next time you see
someone pulled over with a flat tire, or in need of assistance, stop and ask
how you can help. 
Become a mentor or tutor
to someone in need.
Help the Christmas
shopper in front of you who needs that extra two or three cents to avoid
breaking a 20-dollar bill
If you realize someone
is sick, bring them some hot tea, soup, etc.
Put some change in an
expired parking meter
Offer your seat to
someone when there aren’t any left.
Listen to someone’s pain
and help them through it.
Hug a friend and let
them know how important they are.
Reduce, reuse and
recycle.
Help an entrepreneur.
Bake and share –
friends, colleagues, postman etc…
Leave a good book for
someone else to read.
Participate in
Freecycle.
Clean up litter in the
area.
Send a nice letter or
email to someone.
Leave positive notes in
library books or other random places.
Donate pet food to a
local shelter.
Compliment someone.
Donate prom dresses to
local underprivileged youth.
Choose a cause and make
a difference – save the whales, eliminate modern day slavery etc…
Teach someone a skill.
Instead of accepting
payment for something – have them pay it forward.
Tip more than you
normally would.
Be extra nice to customer
service – especially if they seem stressed.
Say a prayer for someone
in need.
Show respect to a
soldier.
While new to the children’s book writing and illustrating scene, C.L. Murphy
