Random Acts of Kindness for the Holidays

Have you ever heard of a random act of kindness or RAOK if you’re into text speak?

It’s a little something you do for someone else, a friend or family member, or even a complete stranger, to put a little bit of happiness in their day.

Sometimes it’s the little things that make a big difference right?

So I was thinking. If we wanted a family tradition for the Holiday Season that meant we did something every day, why not make it count? Instead of having a creepy elf wreak havoc in my house why not sprinkle a little Goodwill around our neighbourhood.

Some RAOK Ideas for Your Family

Here’s some ideas to inspire you. And of course if you have some ideas of your own I’d love for you to share them in the comments.

1. Leave a thank you card for your postman
2. Pick up litter at the park
3. Bake chocolate brownies and take them to your local fire or ambulance station
4. Offer your seat to someone on the bus
5. Buy a copy of your favourite book and give it to a friend
6. Send someone you love a box full of hearts
7. Collect up unwanted clothes and toys and donate them to charity
8. Hang a candy cane on all the front doors in your street
9. Send a care package to a soldier
10. Create a kindness corner in your home or school
11. Take some pet food along to the local animal shelter
12. Rake leaves or shovel snow for an elderly neighbour
13. Make a gift for your teacher
14. Bake cookies for mum or dad’s coworkers to enjoy
15. Leave a large tip for your waiter or waitress
16. Adopt a soldier
17. Find a handful of books you don’t read anymore and leave them around your neighbourhood for others to enjoy
18. Give a coupon to someone else in the store
19. Pay the toll for the driver behind you
20. Donate your pocket money to charity
21. Find a charity car wash event and have the car washed
22. Write a letter to an elderly relative or friend
23. Pop a store gift card in an envelope and leave it in a basket at the store for someone to find
24. Fulfil an Angel Tree request
25. Kind bomb the library
26. Paint a picture and take it to the local nursing home
27. Create some thank you cards and hand them out during your day
28. Leave some crayons and a colouring book in the waiting room at the doctor’s
29. Leave a penny in the street for someone to find
30. Make a love message board and leave messages for your family
31. Donate food to your local food bank or soup kitchen
32. Buy popcorn for the person in line behind you at the movies
33. Compliment five people to make them feel good
34. Give a friend a hug
35. Send a Happy Day package to a cousin who lives far away
36. Recycle something in your home into a gift
37. If you spend time in hospital then write thank you cards for your doctors and nurses