Random Acts of Christmas Kindness

Christmas is a great time to be intentionally kind to people.  It can be especially challenging when our schedules are crammed, our budgets are blown, and people everywhere seem to be rushed and crabby.  But it really is a good opportunity to show the very same love and kindness that brought Jesus to earth, which is afterall what we are celebrating this time of year.

Last year, my family participated in RACK:  Random Acts of Christmas Kindness.  I read about the idea on a website called TSJ Photographry.  Click here to read about it and download all the ideas.

We couldn't pull off a new activity every single day, but we did several per week.  The idea spread amongst my adult Sunday school class, and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing what everyone was doing for their acts of kindness. 

I started by making a list of people to whom I could show kindness.

1. Estranged family member

2. Postal worker

3. Garbage man/woman

4. Recycling man/woman

5. Yard waste man/woman

6. Librarians

7. School teachers

8. Waiter/waitress

9. Pastor Brock

10. Kim Brock, Praise team, choir, orchestra

11. Church children's staff

12. Youth pastoral staff

13. Church office staff

14. Church custodians

15.  Store workers (grocery, pharmacy, retail)

16.  Gas station attendants

17.  Bank tellers

18. Schwan’s man

19. Neighbors

20. Nursing home residents

21.  People waiting at hospitals

22. Church Secret Sister

23. Church Pray for a Child

24. People in line at drive-thru

25. People in line at stores

26. Babysitters

27. Hair stylist

28. UPS/FedEx workers

29. College students

30. Shut-ins

31. Coaches

32. Co-workers

33. Parents at your child’s school

34. Owners of parked cars

Then I searched the internet and spent time thinking about it, and I gathered a list of possible gifts/services to give/do.

Gifts:

1.     Individually wrapped candy

2.     Candy canes

3.    Cookies/bars

4.    Cinnamon rolls

5.    Bread

6.     Cupcakes

7.    Chocolate-dipped pretzels

8.    Hot cocoa mix

9.    Trail mix

10.  Chex mix

11.    Seasoned oyster crackers

12.   Quarters or dollar bills

13.   Gift cards:

a.     Starbucks

b.     McDonald’s or other fast food

c.     Walmart

d.     Kroger

e.     Walgreen’s/CVS

f.     Hobby Lobby

g.     Gas station

14.  Ornament

15.  Devotional

16.   CD

17.  Bible (christianbook.com has cheap ones)

18.  Non-perishable food

19.   Hat

20.  Gloves

21.   Scarf

22.  Umbrella

23.  Coffee

24.  DVD

25.  Calendar

26.  Bible verse cards

27.  Crossword puzzle or activity book

28.  Children’s book

29.  Magazine

30. Chapstick and/or hand lotion

31.   Ice scraper

32.  Travel pack of tissues

33.  Flowers/plants

 

Services:

1.     Shovel snow

2.     Scrape ice off cars

3.    Pick up trash

4.    Return carts

5.    Babysit kids so parents can shop

6.     Make dinner

7.    PRAY!

8.    Wrap gifts

9.    Help decorate

10.  Hold doors open

11.    Carry bags

12.   Offer ride

13.   Winterize home or car

14.  Walk someone’s dog

Finally, I compiled my list of ideas that I thought I could pull off with my kids, schedule, and budget.

RACK Ideas

1. Mail Christmas cards
2. Help family/friend decorate for Christmas
3. Bake cinnamon rolls for church staff
4. Attend church Christmas program
5. Make homemade Christmas candy and take to the neighbors
6. Take hot cocoa to bell ringers
7. Color a Christmas picture
8. Leave Thank-you note and treat for waiter/waitress
9. Look at Christmas lights & give award for the best house
10. Make Christmas cookies
11. Visit Santa & take him a gift
12. Leave a $10 gift card to Wal-Mart in the front door of a random house in the Pekin Housing Authority
13. TOYS for TOTS
14. Do a Christmas craft
15. Make teacher gifts
16. FOLEPI
17. Tape quarters to a parking meters
18. Tape quarters to vending machines
19. Take food to the food pantry
20. Leave a small gift card for postman
21. Leave a small gift card for the trashman
22. Drop off a treat at the library
23. Christmas movie night w/ friends
24. Take a gas station attendant a gift
25. Invite someone to Christmas church service

26. Baked goods to the fire station

27. Baked goods to the police station

28. Bring carts in to Wal-Mart from the parking lot

29. Pay for the car behind you in a drive-thru

30. Leave a Christmas card in a shopping cart with some candy attached

31. Write thank you cards to Gretta, Terri and Cheryl

32. Write thank you cards to children’s teachers

33. Take some magazines, games, and treats to the waiting rooms at the hospital

34. Take fresh baked goodies to a convenience store worker on Christmas

35. Send a care package to Jason Riggs

36. Send a card/gift to your Pray For A Child and/or Secret Sister

37. Pay someone’s library fine

38. Buy gifts for needy family

39. Visit someone in a nursing home or a shut-in

40. Stick card/treat under windshield wipers

Tips:

·         Leave a card to explain that your kindness is due to God’s love.

·         Explain to your children that God loves each person and wants us to be kind.

·         Keep your eyes open.  There are people all around you who need to know that God loves them and that Christmas is more than overloaded schedules and overspending.

·         Pray and ask God to use you to touch someone each day.

·         Invite God into your driving, shopping, talking, etc.

·         Remember that these ideas and projects are not meant to be stressful but to restore Christmas joy!

·         Check out these blogs for the original inspiration and printables:  http://katherinemariephotography.com/blog/archives/7437

     http://tsjphotography.com/blog/rack-download-edition/

Ideas for your cards:

·         You are a child of God, and we pray that you would experience His love.

·         Write/print your favorite Bible verse

·         Please enjoy this treat and know that someone prayed for you!

·         Use purchased Christian Christmas cards

·         The Legend of the Candy Cane found here:

http://happyhomefairy.com/2010/12/09/the-legend-of-the-candy-cane-free-printable-tag/

I hope all these ideas are helpful to you and get you thinking about how you can spread true Christmas joy this season!

Jessica