The estimated reading time for this post is 3 minutes
With all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, sometimes you may find it difficult to remember that this holiday is about sharing peace and joy with others. A movement called Random Acts of Christmas Kindness addresses that issue, spreading the spirit of giving by helping others during the Christmas season.
A random act of kindness is a selfless act performed by a person or people wishing to either assist or cheer up an individual person or people.”
Also known as RACKing (get it? Random Acts of Christmas Kindness), this movement is growing as people enjoy the thrill of knowing they’re making a difference to others in ways great and small. Some people try to perform 25 daily acts of Christmas kindness in December while others let the spirit move them more randomly.
If you’re fortunate enough to be RACKed, then you can pay it forward and show someone else a Random Act of Kindness. Imagine this idea spreading through the world until everyone has shared and received a Random Act of Kindness. Then we could begin all over again!
Whether it’s putting extra coins in a parking meter before you drive away, leaving a dollar on a toy store shelf or shoveling a neighbor’s sidewalk, small acts of kindness can make a world of difference to someone. Here are some sources for inspiration for Random Acts of Christmas Kindness, as well as ways you can let someone know anonymously that they’ve been RACKed.
Ideas for RACKing
Need ideas for acts you can perform to brighten the lives of others? Check out Pinterest boards that are bound to inspire you:
Random Acts of CHRISTmas Kindness by Cheryl Ratliff with ideas such as the Christmas Jar where you put in money throughout the year to spend on someone to bless them (anonymously) at Christmas.
Random Acts of Kindness Ideas by Sarah Serbinski that has ideas for RACKing and performing random acts of kindness throughout the year. Check out pins such as 20 Acts of Kindness for the Military, Making Chemo Care Packages, and 33 Inspiring Ways to Craft It Forward.
Head to the RACK the World Facebook page where 10 new ideas for spreading cheer have just been posted. See followers’ posts on how they are making the world a better place, one act at a time. You can also check out their website: RACK the World and their article: RACKING ON A BUDGET? TRY 44 FOR FREE!
Read Random Acts of Kindness, a Lesson in Service, by Karen DeBeus whose blog post is filled with ideas to help others during the Christmas season.
Check out 25 RANDOM ACTS OF CHRISTMAS KINDNESS. RACKS ON A BUDGET!, by Jessie whose blog post suggests inexpensive ways to RACK.
Charlie Brown Christmas Dance
What happens when a flash mob recreates the classic dance scene from A Charlie Brown Christmas? Watch and see! (Feel free to dance along with them)
Printables
You can avoid confusion by alerting people to your Random Acts of Christmas Kindness with printed labels and tags. Check out Give the Gift of Service by Brie with printable tags for your acts. She can also inspire you with ideas of simple and inexpensive acts to perform.
Let someone know they’ve been RACKed with these printable labels from the RACK! Random Acts of Christmas Kindness! Pinterest board by Parents with Style.
WestJet
Although some might consider this a planned act of marketing, those passengers lucky enough to be on a certain WestJet flight recently definitely regarded the company’s generosity as an act of kindness. See how this airline made Christmas dreams come true for its passengers:
Your Thoughts
Have you ever performed a Random Act of Kindness? Have you ever received one? What ideas do you have for enriching others’ lives this holiday season? Let us know in the Comments section below!
* Christmas star image by Lance McCord
That’s wonderful Carolyn,
I can’t watch the videos where I am now 🙂 but I sure will at home 🙂
I love to see the happy victims of RACK, and frankly the happiest of the two is probably still the one who gives.
Thank you for sharing this and have a Merry Christmas full of joy and happiness!
Hi Sylviane, Yes, I think you’ll enjoy the videos when you see them. It’s so touching to see people genuinely moved by the kindness of others. It helps you believe in human nature.
You’re absolutely right. Knowing you helped someone is so very rewarding, more so than getting a gift.
Thanks so much for your lovely comment and wishes, Sylviane. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too!
Hi Carolyn,
Wonderful and very creative! 🙂
I think if we keep our eyes open, we can always perform a random act of kindness. It comes within. Isn’t it? 🙂
What I love about such encouraging acts being shared all over media is that more people will be inspired to take actions. I know, in commercialized World, many will find it as a marketing strategy or something similar. However, I don’t find it wrong as long as it’s gonna share the kindness while it’s gonna boost the reputation for a business. Win-Win!
Hopefully we can expect more acts through the movement 🙂 Love those printables!
You have a lovely week there and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Cheers…
Hi Mayura, Exactly! Learning about acts of kindness from others inspires us to follow their lead. If you’ve ever received one of these acts, after the surprise your first thought is “how can I pay it forward?”
I just read a commencement speech by George Saunders who said his only regrets in life were when he didn’t take advantage of opportunities to be kind: http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/6thfloor/2013/07/31/george-saunderss-advice-to-graduates/?_r=0
If everyone seized the opportunity to be kind, the world would be a much better place. You are a constant source of kindness, Mayura, to me and many others whose lives you touch throughout the years.
What a lovely, heartwarming post from someone who knows a lot about kindness! Have a wonderful Christmas!
Thank you kindly, Kathy. Merry Christmas to you and your family too! 🙂
Those are wonderful ideas Carolyn and I love the videos. Charlie Brown’s dance was too cute I agree. I like the idea of the gift tags too like for gas. Now who doesn’t appreciate that.
I’ve got one more day left before Christmas and I will be stepping out tomorrow so I’ll see what acts of kindness I can’t bestow upon someone. That might make me feel much better too.
Thank you for sharing this Carolyn and Merry Christmas. Have a glorious celebration and Happy New Year!
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne, You’re exactly right, bringing joy to others can be a very effective way of bringing joy to yourself.
Have a very Merry Christmas tomorrow, Adrienne!
I personally like the idea of WestJet, the video is really awesome… other idea of christmas are also great ….. Nice post…
Hi Himanshu, Yes, wouldn’t that be so very cool to talk to Santa via webcam and then arrive to find your presents on the baggage carousel. Amazing!
Great ideas Carolyn,
These random acts are really cool and I must say you’ve covered most of the important things of Christmas. The idea of Printables is really cool to impress and send them to loved ones.
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Itender, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Thanks, I agree, kindness is one of the most important things about Christmas. Yes, some acts can be spontaneous, but those who plan ahead of time can use the Printables to help recipients understand that they’ve been RACKed.
Hi Carolyn,
I’m in favour of random acts of kindness, but I don’t think they should be organised. I stopped to donate to something and chat to the poor guy who was standing there bored. It turned out that just down the road from the very busy supermarket they had set up a soup kitchen, so it was a good thing to donate to. I was allowed to put a message on a Christmas tree to someone no longer with us, in return for my donation. I gave that to someone else. I did some Christmas inspired art today on a post and photography in the other one. I shall carry on tomorrow. I had guests this evening, but I’m not expecting more until the weekend. They will all spend Christmas with their children and grand children.
It’s 14 minutes to midnight in the UK, so have a very Merry Christmas. 🙂
Hi Mike, A very Merry Christmas to you too. What a wonderful way you spread joy this holiday season. Thanks for taking the time to share that with us, Mike.
Merry Christmas to you too!
Awesome post, Carolyn 🙂
I haven’t watched the videos (I am not home right now, plus not a good internet connection. Videos take forever to load).
As for random acts of kindness, well a few of those have happened to me over the years (not during Christmas though). As for whether I have performed any, I want to say yes, but honestly, I don’t remember (Maybe I do..but if I think more about that, my brain might just make up a memory to answer the question).
Anyways, thank you for sharing this with us, Carolyn 🙂
Hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your family 😀
Hi Jeevan, I completely understand. Trying to watch videos with a slow Internet connection can be downright painful (psychologically speaking, of course). I do hope you get a chance to watch them later though, they are quite special.
If you remember what acts of kindness you received in the past, Jeevan, I would really enjoy you sharing those with us.
Thank you for your kind wishes, Jeevan. Merry Christmas to you too!
Yes, indeed.
I just watched the videos. Loved it all, especially the generosity of West Jet Airlines. I bet they got a lot of loyal customers that day 😉 They showed that they actually cared about their customers, and not just their money.
Thank you again for sharing these with us, Carolyn 😀
Does getting an [unexpected] extension in school projects count? That has happened to me a couple of times 😀
Well, Jeevan, if getting a deadline extension encourages procrastination, then perhaps it isn’t an act of kindness after all? But I think that’s a wonderful act of kindness, really. :-bd
Oh yes, I had seen that video of the airlines giving away surprise presents to all their passengers, it was a wonderfully thought and executed idea.
To pay it forward is a genuine act of kindness and it doesnt always have to be an expensive one, just a one-time meal for a homeless will mean a lot, and I completely agree with your thoughts here.
Letz hope more and more people start giving and make other less preveleged happier than they are today.
Wonderful message Carolyn.