Today's Kindness Idea...

Have you been following along?

For today...

image

Carpool or pay someone's fare.

Keep scrolling down if you've missed any of the ideas for this week.

OR...

feel free to come up with your own.

Either way, keep spreading the kindness!!!!

Hope you're having a great week!

Today's Kindness Idea...

Bring a Treat to Work

image

OR,....if as in my case, your work is in your home,

take a treat to a neighbor or a friend.

Or simply make a treat "just because" for your loved ones.

Are you participating?

Today's Kindness Idea...

Join in...

image

Hold the door open every chance you get.

Today's Kindness Idea...

Are you joining in?

image

Today's challenge....

Smile at 10 strangers.

In case you missed it...

this is

Guess what today is?

Did you guess??


If you guessed Valentine's Day, you're only partially correct.

I hope your day of love has been a good one, but I really want to let you know that today kicks off an entire week of love.

This week is...

You can join the week of celebrations and take the Extreme Kindness Challenge here.

Everyday they have a kindness idea of the day.

Today's idea:

Send a note of appreciation.

image via random acts of kindness foundation

Fairly simple.

I love this.

Bring on the kindness.

If you have any great ideas or experiences, feel free to share with me. 

We will feature a few ideas all week. 

Be sure to spread the word and spread the kindness.

Happy Valentine's Day 

and

Happy Random Acts of Kindness Week!!!!

P.S. In case you missed it, you might be inspired by this lovely lady

featured here.

Cookie Exchange for Charity

I know that a cookie exchange is a popular tradition for many people during this time of year, but I love the spin that Agnes Hsu, a talented bakery owner, puts on it.

I recently read about her in the December 2010 issue of BHG and had to share her brilliant idea.

She holds a cookie exchange and raises money for a charity all at the same time.

I thought it was a simple enough idea that anyone already holding a cookie swap could adopt.

image via BHG

Here's how it works...

Everyone brings their favorite cookies and the name of their charity of choice.

image via BHG

Each cookie is assigned a number to help keep track of which cookie is which. Everyone votes throughout the evening for their favorite cookie with cash. The person with the most votes gets to take all of the donations from the night and give them to their charity of choice.

Then divide and package the cookies just as you usually would. 

See? So simple!

I love this idea. So smart.

Here are a few fun links to help with your own cookie exchange.

Here is a link from BHG to get you started with their favorite Christmas Cookie Exchange Recipes.

Or try these beauties from Our Best Bites

Try printing off a few of these free cookie exchange tags from Joy Ever After

I love these!

Happy Cookie Swapping -- may you bring more goodness through something already so tasty!!! 

Gift for Good

Do you have someone on your list that is difficult to buy for?

It seems we all do.

Over the next while, I'll share with you a few gift ideas that give more than the generic pair of socks. 

(Although, socks are ALWAYS appreciated at a homeless shelter. Just a thought.)

Anyway,....

back to the gift idea.

Go to donatefruit.com

Purchase any of their gift boxes or fruit packages and they will donate an equal amount of fresh fruit, pound for pound, to a food bank.

Give a gift.

Check.

Help feed the hungry.

Double check.

Go here to learn more.

Happy Holidays

Make Time for Change

You can join Frigidaire and Jennifer Garner in supporting Save the Children.

You can directly help kids in need this holiday season just by clicking a button on your computer.

It's simple and fast.

Go here.

Set a virtual place at the table.

Every day you do this and register, Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children to help children in need this season.

It takes just a minute and couldn't be easier.

*As a bonus, you'll be entered to win a $50 gift card and a chance at the Grand Prize -- a Frigidaire Profession freestanding gas range.

Santa's Letter and Macy's

It's that time of year already and the countdown has begun.

I'll be sharing with you throughout the season some very simple ways to make a difference and do a little good, all while celebrating one of the greatest holidays of the year.

First up, write a letter to Santa.

Some might think this a selfish act, but not when combined with Macy's and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

This year, for every stamped letter that Macy's receives in their Santa Mailboxes they will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, up to $1,000,000.

{As of the time of this post they have only received 400,000}

You can download a letter template, create one online and then print it off, or simply write one yourself.

Be sure to STAMP the envelope

Adress it to SANTA at the NORTH POLE

Deliver it to a Santa Mailbox located at Macy's.

{You just helped donate $1 to Make-A-Wish}

The letters will be delivered to the post office and the money from Macy's will go to Make-A-Wish.

Go here for all of the information and to watch a sweet short film.

If you are not familiar with Make-A-Wish go here to learn more.

Thirty Days of Kindness

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving break.

I recently found this beautiful idea called "Thirty Days of Kindness" on [dandee].

This gorgeous (and talented) woman is counting down the 30 days before her 30th birthday with Thirty Days of Kindness. The ideas are simple, sweet and could easily be integrated into any of your holiday plans.

Her countdown is already almost half way over, but be sure to look back at some of her past posts and the simple ways to show kindness. She invites any and all to participate.

Today's Act of Kindness:
Read to a child as long as they want

[image via dandee -- original source]

Be sure to join her. Her blog is beautiful. Her ideas are simple.

You are sure to be inspired by her to create your own acts of kindness.

This is such a great idea and a great way to spend time leading up to your own celebration either for the holidays or any special event. 

Be sure to check it out here.

Thankful Trees

Thanksgiving is just a week away! (Can you believe it?!)

But, there is still plenty of time to put all of that gratitude to good use.

Thanks to some of my very clever and creative friends, I thought I'd share a simple idea that I really like. The whole family can even get involved.

Have you heard of a thankful tree?

My good friend Heidi does this activity with her family.

She gathers branches and cuts leaves out of cardstock.

(Of course, she also arranges the branches in a cute container and makes everything look charming.)

Then everyone takes turns writing on the leaves the different things they are thankful for.

I love this idea!

And I love that one of the things is cookie dough ice cream. So funny!

This could be a one time activity that you then display until the holiday or something the family members can add to whenever they feel like it.

Love it!

Here is another version of a thankful tree from my sweet friend Carrie.

(Again, she is very clever, very creative and everything always looks so beautiful.)

This is a similar idea with branches and paper leaves, but she also adds an activity onto each leaf that they can do to help show their gratitude.

They can then add onto the leaves the things they are thankful for.

I love this tradition. I love this idea.

I would show you pictures of one of my own thankful trees, but I haven't ever made one.

I definitely need to.

I love this idea.

Thanks Heidi and Carrie for being willing to share! You are the best!

How does your family show their gratitude?

What traditions do you have?

I'd love to hear from you.

Time to give Thanks

I think most people understand the importance of feeling and offering gratitude, but sometimes taking the time to do it becomes the tricky part.

One Thanksgiving tradition to adopt is to take the time to say "Thank you" to anyone. To everyone.

Take the time to have your family sit down and write out thank you cards.

image via susy*jack

Make it easier with this free printable (and delightfully beautiful) card from Susy Connor of Hey Susy.

You can find it here.

I love it.

Saying thanks just got easier and more beautiful.

P.S. This would even make a great print. OR they would make a great gift if you printed out a set.
Oh and heads up -- she also has a few other gorgeous free downloads -- a birthday card, a just because card. I love them all!

Leftover Halloween Candy

Do you still have leftover Halloween Candy and need an idea of what to do with it besides eat a piece every 5 minutes while the kids are at school?

Send it to Operation Gratitude. 

They ship it off to the soldiers. Great idea. There you have it. Easy.

A Simple Idea: Donate your miles

Are you planning to travel this summer?

Are you flying?

Do you have miles you haven't used?

Are you already planning to use them?

Consider this simple idea.

American Airlines has a program called

Miles for kids in need is a program that provides worldwide support for children and their families who have medical, educational, and social service issues.

Did you know you can put those unused miles to use?

You can.

Donate them.

By donating your miles you can help provide the necessary transportation for a child in need.

Go here to read all about it.

Go here to donate your miles.