I’ve always been inspired by the Random Acts of Kindness movement. It’s such a simple philosophy and so easy to make part of everyday life. But like most people I’m busy, life gets in the way, and the desire I have to be kind to others gets pushed to the back burner without me even realising it.
Recently, on a rainy afternoon, I was rushing to get my three kids in the car without all of us ending up like drowned rats. We were finally in when I noticed an older women standing under a shop awning looking stressed and anxious. She had no umbrella and a bag of groceries in her hand. So I jumped out with my brolly and offered her a hand. It took two minutes, she was grateful and I was on my way. Back in the car, my six-year-old asked me why I had helped her. The question shocked me at first. Didn’t he know that’s what people do? They help each other. And then it dawned on me, he will only know if I teach him by example.
So the Random Acts of Christmas Kindness (RAOCK) idea was born. From the 1st – 25th December our family would do at least one random act of kindness every day. We would do it as a family; think of ideas together and then go and do them. I mentioned it to a few friends and they wanted to be a part of it too. I loved the idea of sharing what they were going to do so I started a RAOCK Facebook page so we could share the love.
So where do you come in? I’m putting the challenge out there to you to be a part of this RAOCK adventure, I promise you, you’ll be glad you did! It doesn’t have to cost you a cent. You don’t have to do all 25 days. Even one RAOCK during the 25 days will make a difference in someone else’s life! And the ripple effects are huge. Don’t know what to do? I’ve got that covered:
* Return shopping trolleys back into the trolley bays
* Allow someone to go ahead of you in the supermarket line
* Load bags of groceries into people’s cars
* Feed parking meters
* Drop off hand written thank-you notes to your local police, fire, ambulance station (take biccies too!)
* Take hand-me-downs to a local charity
* Tuck happy notes on car windows wishing people a good day … the ideas are only limited to your imagination!
I’m so excited that my kids get to be a part of this and that by Christmas Day being kind to strangers will no longer be questioned in our house. But best of all being kind to others is a gift to myself because this feels amazing!
What ideas do you have for random acts of Christmas kindness? What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you over the Christmas season?
Top Comments
When my then eighty-year-old neighbour's ill sister died the Meals on Wheels stopped and he didn't know that he was eligible. I rang the council and organised it for him and when he told me, looking stunned and thrilled, that he was going to be getting meals delivered, I said, 'The council's not so bad after all'. He agreed with me and was really pleased that those faceless people had thought of him. I never told him I did it. That was a few years ago now and he's still fit and lively and walking his dog twice a day so the meals can't be too bad!
I think this is a lovely idea. I want to call out for some help on this topic .... My 3 year old has told me that she wants to give a whole lot of her stuffed toys away ... in her words 'I want to share the toys that aren't my favourites with boys and girls that don't have any'. I have been calling and emailing around for months and can't find any charity that will accept them. They are lovely stuffed toys that are as-new, and it would break my heart to take them to an op-shop to collect dust when I am sure that some little one out there would be thrilled to have them. I have tried battered womens' shelters and refugee centres, but they state they only want puzzles, books and educational-type toys and if I gave them these toys they would only take them to an op shop anyway. Surely although these aren't anything fancy, they might put a smile on someone's face. Can anyone suggest anywhere? We're in Melbourne.
Do fire stations take them? I think I have heard that they have comfort toys for children at emergency sites.
I am in Brisbane, i know the hospitals always welcome toys. Request that they go to the ward playrooms not to day surgery playrooms as they have heaps already!
MummyDani,
I had exactly the same problem last year too, when my littlies and I decided they were ready to donate a carton full of as-new (some never touched) teddies & stuffed toys to charity.
Except no one wanted to take them. I phoned & emailed & even attempted to find a way to get them sent to QLD in the aftermath of the floods & Yasi, but as we were in Perth I had to give up on that idea.
In the end I donated them to a Good Samaritans op shop, thinking that hopefully they will still find their way into the homes & hearts of underprivileged kiddies. And my own children still got to learn the valuable lesson about giving to others.
Try homeless people services. In Adelaide its Hutt Street Centre. What a wonderful thing for her to want to do.