Writing, like any creative endeavour flows in waves, by inspiration, and sometimes even by happenstance. Occasionally, it also doesn’t flow at all, and this is how I’ve been feeling the past couple of weeks.

And then inspiration struck!

I learned that November 13 was World Kindness Day, and that it’s been on this date every year since it first started in 1998. It’s s day that the Inspire Kindness organization describes as a “reminder that simple acts of kindness have power and that together, we can all work to create a kinder world.” For me, this connected beautifully to my friend Simon’s blog post comment I reshared last week about his work on A Christmas Carol. He wrote that Carol “continues to provide an annual reminder of the critical importance of empathy, goodness, and charity, especially at this time of year. Much has changed about the world since Dickens wrote the story, but the need for us to be kind to one another and to support others through difficult times is as resonant as ever today.”

And so, in today’s post let’s talk about kindness – not just the idea, but actual action items we can each engage in this holiday season.

Questions, Compliments or Kind Words
Last week while I was on the phone setting up an appointment to get new lenses put into my glasses, I asked the team member I was talking to how her day was going. I could tell by the way she responded that she was surprised I asked. After we set an appointment time, I said I hoped she had a good rest of her day, and she answered excitedly “thanks so much and you too!”

If you know me, then you know that this type of conversation is a very Gareth thing that occurs daily. In fact, I was the kid that as soon I could talk, I was genuinely telling people to have a nice day, asking how their day was going, complimenting them, and saying thank you. This moment last week reminded me just how powerful one question, compliment or kind word can be during a person's day. It also reminded me how often those I’m talking to are surprised that I care and show an interest.  

And so, this holiday season when you’re out shopping, remember that the person behind the till, on the sales floor, delivering your Amazon package or on the customer service line has likely been yelled at or made to feel less than multiple times that day. I encourage you to be the one to help turn their day around. Be grateful for their help and say thank you. Compliment them. If someone goes above and beyond take the time to send a note to their manager. As someone who worked at a grocery store for 9 years, and many of those as a cashier and at customer service, believe me when I tell you how impactful your words and actions of kindness are.

Create a Kindness Advent Calendar
Once I decided I was writing about the power of kindness this week, I came across the idea of a Kindness Advent Calendar. Here’s one example and another. I also took this idea to my coworkers, and asked them for their thoughts. And so, here are 24 ideas of how you can be kind this holiday season – many completely free, and a few with small costs.

1. Call a friend or family member you haven’t talked to in a while
2. Send someone a hand-written letter. Getting a hand-written letter can be so meaningful.
3. Leave a sticky note for someone/multiple people with a compliment
4. Send a text message of gratitude to people in your life and/or do something extra kind for a sibling
5. Pay a compliment to a person you meet going about your day
6. Create a “tree of gratitude” to send to healthcare workers, writing messages of gratitude on paper leaves to be posted on a paper cut-out on the branches/trunk of the tree
7. Be a snow angel for your neighbors, and shovel their sidewalk and/or porch
8. Bring in garbage bins for your neighbor
9. Walk your neighbor’s dog
10. Make baked goods for family, friends or neighbours
11. Volunteer at a shelter
12. Help someone load their groceries into their car
13. Hold the door open for someone
14. Offer to take a picture of someone, a couple or a group
15. Send someone a picture, quote, GIF or meme to make them smile
16. Recreate a childhood photo and send it to your parents or loved ones
17. Share your talents and gifts with the world
18. Share music, theatre, and stories with people in your life
19. Buy someone you know a coffee and/or pay forward for a stranger’s coffee
20. Donate non-perishable food items to a local food bank
21. Adopt a family and/or a senior citizen for the holidays
22. Make a donation to, or volunteer at a charity of your choice
23. Leave money in a vending machine
24. Leave a bigger tip and a thank you note for your server at a restaurant

And so, I invite you to join me this holiday season in spreading kindness. Share kindness by yourself, with family, friends, coworkers and with strangers. As my closing thought this week, I leave you with the words of Maya Angelou.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”