Random Acts of Holiday Kindness

Happy December and the beginning of Christmas craziness!  I completely enjoyed Thanksgiving and spending so many days home with my love and little girl!  It was nice to disconnect and really just spend time with family, some of whom traveled in from Houston!
Although my favorite time of year, it's also one of the busiest.  Our family has lots of traditions and fun events that we like to do during this holiday season.  I'll touch on more of those later. All of these traditions keep us so busy though.  I don't think there is a weekend until half-way through January that we don't have something planned!
I find this season incredibly fulfilling, yet at times, incredibly stressful.  It's those stressful moments that remind me that I am loved and blessed.  From buying presents to holiday parties, I know that I am lucky.  Lucky to be able to afford to do so.  Lucky that I have so many family and friends.  Lucky that we like each other so much that we want to spend time together.   It's this time of the year that causes me to stop and think.
What if other's aren't so lucky?  What about those that spend the holidays alone?  What about those who wish they had enough money to buy presents?  What about those that wish they had a warm place to stay?What about those whose only wish for Christmas to is be healthy?
But better yet...
What about those that have all of the above, but get so caught up in the commercialism and business of the season that they forget about others?
This holiday season, wouldn't it be nice to show others that we care?  That's why I'm requesting that for the month of December, you join me in displaying random acts of kindness.  To help those in need. To help those who need a reminder that Jesus is the reason for the season.  To help remind yourself that even the smallest acts of kindness can mean so much.
Below are just a few ways that you can pay it forward this holiday season.  There are so many others!

Not all of the acts of kindness need to be momentous.  Just the other day, while sitting in the Starbuck's drive through, I decided that I would pay it forward.  I pulled up to the window to pay for my order and told the barista that I would like to pay for the car behind me as well.   She was taken back and just kept saying over and over again, "That's so sweet.  That is so nice of you! This just made my day".  I didn't even do anything that directly affected the barista, yet, she was moved.   I'll never know what the reaction of the person in the car behind me was, but I can only hope and assume that it brightened their day.
I know my random act of kindness was just coffee.  I didn't solve world hunger or find a cure for cancer, but I can hope that the cup of coffee and scone reminded the customer that there are still good people in the world.  That maybe it changed their mood and outlook for the day in some slight way.  That maybe they chose to pay it forward to someone as well.
This holiday season, let's pay it forward with random acts of kindness.  You'll never know the impact that you could have on someone's day.

What random acts of kindness will you do?