2018 has been a doozy of a year. So was 2017 come to think of it. Too much hate. Too much narrow-mindedness. And too much sorrow. You feel me?

All of it had me thinking this year how I wanted to use this platform for a bit more good when possible. It led me to the idea that I’m excited to share today: a little campaign around Spreading Kindness & Joy (aka #SpreadKindnessSpreadJoy.)

 

Join Me: Spreading Kindness & Joy

I put “Kindness Campaign” in my editorial calendar at the beginning of the year but wasn’t sure what it would look like. And I had a vague idea but it took sitting down this summer to really iron out the idea. I decided I’d like to time it in December when so much of the world (and especially the world of blogging) is focused on commercialism and buying. I wanted something that would have a different focus and would give back.

So here’s the idea…

Between now and the end of the month I’m hoping you will join me in spreading kindness and joy through small actions. Below I’ve compiled a bunch of thought-starters to get you thinking but it can really be any act of kindness and joy. Small! Large! Whatever it is it counts! It can involve monetary donations or acts or things that cost only time. My hope is that this goes far and wide and creates a ripple effect in every community where you – a wit & whimsy reader – resides.

I know this is such a busy time of year but I’m hoping we can all together carve out a moment for an act!

Once you’ve done your act I’d love for you to come back to this post and share it in the Comments. (I will pin this post to the slider on the home page just under the wit & whimsy logo so you can easily find it!) At the beginning of 2019 I am going to randomly select one person who submitted their act (or acts!) via the Comments section and I will give $500 to the charity of their choice. More acts = more entries. I’ll also be randomly selecting a few others and sending some little care packages of gifts from some of my favorite brands as a little thank you for participating.

If you want to share your act to spread the word and inspire others on social media I would LOVE for you to tag me @meghandono and use the hashtag #SpreadKindnessSpreadJoy so I can see what you guys are out there in the world doing. I’ll be sharing some of mine + some of yours on my Stories! (Just be sure to also note your act in the Comments section of this blog post so I can include it as an entry if you’re interested in potentially having your favorite charity get a donation!)

And, of course, if you’re up for it, email this post to your friends + family so we can keep the love and joy spreading.

This community gives so much to me every day and I hope to be able to make an impact on each of your communities by this little movement in the month of December.

#SpreadKindnessSpreadJoy Thought Starters

• Run an errand for a friend or loved one.
• Give to your favorite charity.
• Babysit a friend or loved one’s children for a few hours so that the parent can accomplish something on their to do list.
• Sponsor a light bulb from the Saks Fifth Avenue holiday display. (The proceeds go to Broadway Cares!)
• Give a stranger a compliment.
• Send a card in the mail.
• Give a holiday card to someone who may not expect it.
• Bring baked goods to your office for a morning or afternoon sweet treat.
• Buy several Starbucks cards with $10-$15 on them each and hand them out during the month as you see someone who may benefit from a little pick me up.
• Frame and gift a photo for a friend or loved one.
• Buy extra cans of food on your next grocery run and donate them to a food bank.
• Surprise a loved one with a book they may like.
• Donate items in your home you no longer use.
• Volunteer for a soup kitchen.
• Visit GoFundMe and donate to a cause or two that touches your heart.
• Pick up the tab on a stranger’s coffee order.
• Research a new charity to donate to.
• Help teachers out with donations Donor’sChoose.
• Surprise your mailman/FedEx delivery person/doorman/garbageman/etc with a cookie.
• Send a care package to an unsuspecting someone in your life.
• Leave a more than 20% tip for great service.
• Throw a dinner party that gives back to families in need.
• Buy a small gift for a friend just because. Include a card that notes their best attributes.
• Give a homeless child a gift via Covenant House.
• Leave sticky notes with kind words on your co-workers desk.
• Give a gift card to someone in need.
• Send supplies and gifts to St. Jude’s to distribute to those in their community in need.

 

So what do you guys say…will you join me in spreading kindness and joy this month?

I can’t wait to see what we all do together!

[Carter Fish Photography]