Welcome to the first day of BLOGMAS! Head over to this intro post to find out exactly what Blogmas is if you aren’t sure. Otherwise, welcome! The holidays are all about giving back. My favorite part about the holiday season is giving to people and seeing their faces light up. Today, we are talking about all the ways showing kindness this holiday season. Sometimes, the holidays are the best times for people and sometimes they are the hardest. It doesn’t hurt to give a little to others, it could end up meaning a whole lot to them!A list of ways that we can start showing kindness this holiday season to everyone around us. Spread some Christmas cheer, & enter a giveaway!


Ways of Showing Kindness This Holiday Season

  • Pay for the person’s coffee behind you. I have had this done for me before and I have also been the giver as well. It is such a small gesture, but something that can easily show so much kindness to whoever happens to be behind you in line. They could be having a terrible day or a tough holiday season and you showing that one small act of kindness might turn their entire day around.
  • Bake cookies or make a small gift for the neighbors. Even if you don’t know or speak to your neighbors much, it doesn’t hurt to spread a little bit of Christmas cheer around to everyone:) I made a huge batch of three different types of cookies last year and then just divided them out to the neighbors closest to us. There is one gentleman who lives alone and is right next door to us. He is the nicest guy but doesn’t have any kids and no family close by. I make it a point to give him something around the holidays. Even if they don’t show appreciation, you know that deep down they are grateful for someone thinking of them. (Here are my favorite holiday cookie recipes from Pinterest) 
  • Make it a point to save your change. Give those extra dollars and cents to the Santa’s that stand outside every store with those red buckets. Share some spare change with the homeless person sitting outside in the cold. Even if you don’t typically give money to people on the street, just that little extra during this time could give them a warm meal or give them a chance to find some place out of the cold to stay. This is also an excellent way to teach our children about gratitude and being thankful this season.
  • Have your kids make Christmas cards to hand out to people who don’t typically get appreciated. Have them hand out a card to the retail worker who is working really long hours during this holiday season so that everyone can buy their gifts. Give one to the grocery store checker who is helping you as you buy food to make Christmas dinner. Give one to the postal worker that delivers so many packages for you as you send out gifts to your loved ones. Remember those that are just doing their jobs during this season, but their jobs help us all out so much. (You can check out even more ways for kids to show appreciation in my post here.)
  • Volunteer to be the airport shuttle for friends and or acquaintances. Airport parking is a nightmare and it can be so expensive. If you know someone is getting ready to leave over the holidays, offer to drive them to the airport so that they don’t have to leave their car and they can save some money for their holiday trip. Are you traveling this season? Here are my tips for traveling with kids.
  • Work with your church, community group, or local business to put packages together for families who are struggling during this time. There are so many people and families out there that can’t afford to give their families what they wish they could during Christmas. While Christmas is not about gifts alone, it is so nice to be able to shower these families with gifts, stuffed stockings and a Christmas dinner so that they don’t have to worry about spending those few dollars they have trying to give their family a decent Christmas. I remember one year right after my dad had passed away that someone nominated my family for a Christmas Wish program on a radio station.  My mom was struggling with 7 kids at home and even more out of the house. I will always remember that day when they showed up on our doorstep with a bunch of gifts that, as little kids, we would’ve never dreamed of having during that time. All it will take is a little of your time to really share an amazing gift with those who are less fortunate.day-1-giving-back-this-holiday

Giveaway!

This giveaway is huge! We have teamed up with a bunch of fabulous companies to bring you all this Blogmas giveaway, right in time for Christmas. There is even more then what is pictured below! img_6586

The list below is all of the prizes, not to mention the $150 in PayPal cash that we are adding to it! Such a great prize pack to win right before the holidays.

4 $50 Gift Cards$200.00JORD Watcheswww.woodwatches.com
Gift Card$50.00AMI ClubWearwww.amiclubwear.com
Kids Lightup Animal$29.95Kinderglohttp://kinderglo.com
My Blend Smoothie Maker$24.99Osterhttp://www.oster.com/blenders-and-juicers/oster-blend-n-go-myblend-blender/BLSTPB2-MY-BLEND-MASTER.html
Play Makeup Set$13.99Little Cosmeticshttps://littlecosmetics.com
Spicy Box of Awesome$54.00Fuego Boxhttp://www.fuegobox.com
Set of paint sticks$6.00Kwiksitckshttp://www.thepencilgrip.com/
Smile Brilliant Kit$159Smile Brillianthttps://www.smilebrilliant.com
This May Be Wine cup + Starbucks gift card$30Fab Flareshttps://www.etsy.com/shop/Fabflaresbyaudsmom?ref=hdr_shop_menu
Gift Card$50Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurthttp://www.orangeleafyogurt.com
1 GameSet Gameshttp://www.setgame.com/set/puzzle
Essential Oil Recipe Box$49Simply Earthhttp://www.simplyearth.com
Natural Organic Lipstick$28.00Axiology Beautyhttps://axiologybeauty.com/
Kuisiware OneSpin Salad Spinnerhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B0156C0XQM
Zeust Barbecue Grill Lighthttps://www.amazon.com/Barbecue-Grill-Light-Bright-Lights/dp/B00IR99G7Y/
Bracelet and earrings set$25Revel Designs by Shellyhttps://www.etsy.com/shop/RevelDesignsbyShelly/
Childrens Book signed by author$15Danielle Soucy Millshttp://daniellesoucymills.com
Gift Card$50Baby Cubbywww.babycubby.com
White Wipes Teeth Wipes (for wine and coffee lovers)$30White Wipeswww.whitewipes.com
2 Personalized Phone Cases$80CaseApphttp://caseapp.com/
1 Framed Print + $15 Starbucks Gift Card$30That’s What She Said Quote Shophttps://www.etsy.com/shop/TWSSQuoteShop
Gift card$50Little Italy Layettehttps://www.facebook.com/Littleitalylayette

ENTER GIVEAWAY BELOW

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How do you give back during the holidays? Check out more of our Blogmas bloggers and how they are giving back this season. 

*Cheers to the season of giving back*

joanna at motherhood and merlot