Give Kindness and Compassion This Holiday Season
The holidays are here. For some, that means enjoying the hustle and bustle of the season: gift-giving, parties, holiday lights, cookie baking and fun family traditions. For others, the sparkle of the holidays may amplify their struggles, such as missing a loved one or struggling to make ends meet.
In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, nearly nine in 10 Americans say that concerns such as not having enough money, missing loved ones and anticipating family conflict cause them stress at this time of year.
So, how can you help your loved ones or strangers combat stressful feelings during the holidays? A simple act of kindness can make all the difference.
Small Gestures, Big Impact
Acts of kindness don’t have to be large or take up a lot of your time in order to make a big difference in someone’s life. With Doing Good Together’s cozy, printable Hygge-inspired kindness countdown, adding kindness to your daily schedule is easy! (Hygge is defined as invoking or fostering a sense of coziness, contentment, and well-being, and is typically associated with Danish culture.) Each activity on the list is an invitation to spend meaningful moments together and share kindness in your community. Enjoy hot chocolate and cookies while you complete your kindness activities! Make this kindness quest a yearly holiday tradition. Not only will you be helping others, you will be showing your children the importance of generosity during a time of year that can be focused on gift-getting, especially for children.
Another easy act of kindness? Greet your delivery drivers with a treat or bottle of water! Billions of packages are sent throughout the holiday season, making it an especially busy and stressful time for delivery drivers. Your children can get in on the action by making a large sign thanking drivers for their work. Drivers will appreciate the gesture. It is a win-win for everyone involved.
Have a Big-Hearted Holiday by Donating to Others
Whether by donating time or resources, or by simple acts of generosity, spreading compassion during the holidays can create a ripple effect that lasts far beyond the season.
The Caring Place in Miami will be giving away over 6,000 new toys to at-risk youth in the Miami community. For many parents, this can be a difficult time of year. You and your family can help by picking out gifts for others and donating them!
Donate items, sponsor a teen or help in person during South Florida-based Family Resource Center’s annual toy drive! This act of compassion will brighten the holiday season for one of your neighbors.
Want to get out of the house and move your body? Participate in the annual Jingle Bell Run at Tropical Park, which raises money for arthritis research.
It’s not just humans who are in need of compassion at any time of the year. Take your children to Happi Farm in Davie and help care for horses at their Animal Assisted Learning Center.
When we lead with kindness, we inspire others to do the same. The holidays are the perfect reminder that while giving gifts and hanging decorations are a fun part of this time of year, kindness and compassion are gifts that last all year long.
Doing Good Together’s Miami Kindness Project content is FREE thanks to the generous support of the Al and Jane Nahmad Foundation.