“One kind word can warm three winter months.” – Japanese Proverb 🌨❄️

The Holidays are an uplifting time for a lot of us, but it can also feel stressful, sad, and lonely. One effort I’m making this season that I’m hoping will turn into a habit is delivering unexpected random acts of kindness to everyone I interact with during the day. This goes above and beyond the “thank yous” – these are uplifting words when everyone needs them at work, holding space for friends and family to share and be seen with love, tiny tokens of appreciation – an afternoon latte, a little notecard. For the mamas and the papas – there’s an awesome Sesame Street episode about Kindness Kids that Theo loves and really clicked with him. Because in our world where we feel we have too much to do, sometimes we lose sight of the things we should do, no matter what.

Studies show giving and receiving random acts of kindness makes us all feel warm and bright – more oxytocin (aka the love hormone ❤️) is produced and that lowers stress, anxiety and all that bad stuff. That’s all the proof I need to give a little more each day.

This winter season, I’m aiming to do a few random acts of kindness each day to add more holiday cheer. Many of these are super easy to do and make a huge positive impact on everyone. Read more to see my favorite list of random acts of kindness to give the holiday season.

List of 21 Random Acts of Kindness to Give this Holiday

Buy the morning coffee for the person standing behind you, or a co worker or friend.

Put a surprise note or drawing from Santa in your kid’s lunch.

Post a Holiday gratitude post highlighting (and tagging) 4 people and why they’re awesome on social media.

Give 3 extra big warm hugs to friends or family

Donate a bag of warm sweaters, coats, socks, boots, and winter hats & gloves to a local homeless shelter.

Buy a small bouquet of flowers and give one stem to a handful of people during the day.

Give a coffee gift card to your kids’ teachers.

Write a short but sweet gratitude note to your boss, mentor, or co-worker that you admire and appreciate.

Call home (parents) just to say I Love You.

Call 4 friends just to tell them how much they mean to you, and ask how they are.

Allow someone into your lane on your commute to work.

Offer your seat on the train or bus ride to work.

Compliment your friend or co worker for something you’ve never expressed before.

Write 3 LinkedIn recommendations for former co-workers.

Forgive and forget – leave those grudges behind.

Strike up a conversation with a person standing alone at a holiday gathering.

Give space and listen to a friend who is feeling down — without offering advice.

Add money to an expired parking meter.

Leave a holiday thank-you note and coffee card for the mail carrier.

Stay away from gossip.

Take the kids on a surprise after school hot cocoa date.

What are a few random acts of kindness you plan to do this Holiday? Share them with us below!