Spread Kindness This Holiday Season
As we enter the holiday season, I am reminded that this time of year can be challenging. While many are excited about the holidays, others struggle with them. The last couple of years have overstretched our patience, creativity, and emotions. That means it is more important than ever to connect with others, spark kindness in one another, spread joy, love your neighbors, and remember compassion.
We know from research that kindness has all kinds of benefits; it even makes us healthier. When we are kind to others, it sends ripples of goodness through the community that ultimately circles back to us. We need compassion and connection this year, more than ever. Here are some ideas to bring kindness into your home this holiday season.
– MiaLisa Millares, Executive Director
ACTION
Practice the Kindness Within: During the holidays, we often think of giving kindness to others; but, it is also important to remember to be kind to yourself. Try this Peace Yoga (from our 2020 Festival of Giving) and practice bringing kindness to yourself each day.
Be Intentional with Kindness: Make it your mission this season to intentionally care for others. Hold a door, remember to say “thank you,” encourage a worried friend, or bring someone flowers just to brighten their day. Practice engaging your kindness muscles through DGT’s 31 Day Hygge nspired Kindness Challenge. Take the time each day to reflect on what you did with your family.
Create Ripples of Kindness: Use our Kitchen Table Kindness Kits to spread kindness through the community. For example, next time you are out for dinner, pull out the kindness cards and surprise your server with a special note of thanks. A simple act can make someone’s day!
Craft with Kindness: Have fun with kindness by using this fun template to create kindness fortune-tellers with your children. They will love the hands-on activity and the opportunity to help others.
Listen with a Kind Heart: Talk to someone who has a different point of view that you do about something. Listen to what they have to say, then share your point of view and why you believe what you do. Use these tools for having civil conversations.
Volunteer to Spread Kindness: Check out our free volunteer listing for different options for spreading kindness throughout your community this holiday season.
Shop with Kindness: Choosing a gift for someone in a kind and thoughtful way can be a great way to teach children empathy. We love presents that are fun and also spread compassion, and we’ve curated an impressive selection of service project kits, cooperative games, big-hearted books, and more on our Shop Kind page. Check it out!
CONVERSATIONS
Intergenerational conversations and reflection are such an essential part of learning. This holiday season, have your children choose an elderly relative or friend and engage in a big-hearted conversation. Let them use these conversation prompts to reflect together.
Is kindness a personality trait or something that can be learned?
Do you work at kindness? Should you?
Think of a time this past year when someone was kind to you. Share that story.
How does it feel when someone is kind to you?
How does it feel to be kind to someone else?
Can you think of a time you received kindness from a stranger? What happened? How did it make you feel? Did you return the kindness? Did you pass it on?
Is kindness contagious?
When you do something kind for someone, does it strengthen your relationship?
How do you feel when someone else has a success? What can you do to support them?
When you see someone do something unkind, how do you respond?
READ
Even small acts of kindness can generate a ripple of goodness out into the world. Check out our list of children’s picture books focused on kindness.
INSPIRATION
“Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”
— The 14th Dalai Lama