12 Days of Christmas Kindness – Day One
Let’s stay connected! Sign up to get my blog posts automatically or hang out with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or Facebook.
*******************************************************************************
Welcome to my 9th annual 12 Days of Christmas giveaways. In keeping with the theme of my new book Listen, Love, Repeat: Other-Centered Living in a Self-Centered World this year we are making the series 12 Days of Christmas Kindness, giving simple and doable ideas for reaching out to others during the Christmas season. {Each day’s posts are linked at the bottom of this post.}
There will be a fun giveaway each day {valued at $25 or more} and then an overall grand prize {or two!} valued at $100 or more! Here is how it works:
*Each day, December 5th through 16th, join us here on my blog. There will be an idea given for scattering kindness at the holidays.
*Each day will also feature a friend of mine—a blogger, author, speaker—who will be giving away a fabulous prize. {You are gonna love these generous ladies and you will really love their giveaways!!} Maybe you recognize a familiar face?
*Our goal is to get ya’ll spreading some Christmas kindness by doing the simple ideas and also–if you can–posting about it on social media using the hashtags #12DaysOfChristmasKindness and #ListenLoveRepeat. It can be a simple thought–or even better, a pic of you {and your people, if you’d like} doing the idea given for scattering kindness.
*To be entered in the 12 daily giveaways, leave a quick comment on the post each day here on the blog. You can comment on all 12 days up until midnight Pacific time, Sunday, December 18. Each day’s posts are linked at the bottom of this post. One daily winner will be chosen from each day’s comments and all winners will be announced on Monday, December 19. **U.S. Addresses only please.**
*The GRAND PRIZE winner {and a runner up or two} will be chosen by me–and my ministry team. We’ll be snooping around on social media by searching the hashtags to see who is really getting into the spirit by spreading the CHRISTmas kindness for 12 days. We will pick a grand prize winner and perhaps a few runners up. All winners will be announced Monday, December 19th.
Ok…here we go! For our first day, let’s start with our families. The idea? Stick it to ‘em!
Leave sticky notes of encouragement for your family members, along with a favorite treat, somewhere they are sure to discover them—their pillow, car dashboard, desk, backpack, bathroom mirror, etc… Tell them you love them. Write out one aspect of their personality you love or a character quality you admire in them such as, “I love how you are such a loyal friend” or “Your generosity inspires me!”
Ready? Grab a pen, sticky note, and a little treat and scatter a little kindness on your family!
Now for the GIVEAWAYS!
The prize for Day One is a copy of my newest book Listen, Love, Repeat: Other-Centered Living in a Self-Centered World. It is all about listening between the lines for who might need a healthy dose of encouragement and then doing something special to show them God’s love. I’m also including a set of these ADORABALE notecards from a new friend’s Etsy shop. I met Danielle from The Little Things when I picked up a few of her cards at local indoor farmer’s market. Aren’t they just the cutest?
Danielle is graciously giving away this set of 5 cards today AND offering any of you who’d like to order some of her things a 10% discount in her shop. Her Christmas cards, and state cards—of course Michigan is my fave—are the ones I am grabbing. Simply visit her shop and use the code “LISTENLOVEREPEAT” at check out!
Now, for the GRAND PRIZE! It includes a 6-quart programmable slow cooker, a cookbook from my friend Katie from The Dashing Dish, a Listen, Love, Repeat bundle that includes the book, 6 week Bible study DVD and two study guides to do the study with a friend, and a $50 Amazon gift card to buy any kitchen gadgets you need!
Are you ready! Let’s go!
- Leave a comment here with your thoughts on today’s idea for scattering kindness.
- Go scatter kindness with your family members.
- Post on social media using the hashtags #12DaysOfChristmasKindness and #ListenLoveRepeat. You can just post a simple thought. Or, you can save and then share one of the images here above in the post—the one with all the guests of the series or today’s Christmas kindness idea. Or, even better, post a picture of you doing the idea given for scattering kindness. Just be sure to use the hashtags #12DaysOfChristmasKindness and #ListenLoveRepeat And, if you could link to this post when you share, that would be FAB!
- All winners (daily and grand prize) will be announced Monday, December 19th. **U.S. Addresses only please.**
Now, let’s go scatter some Christmas kindness and be sure to join us for:
Love this idea!! Can’t wait to get started!
My family really enjoyed finding their notes and treats early this morning. Put everyone in a good mood to start the day.
Today I did candy for my 19 year old son, who had all 3 of his finals today..and he works full time and is a worship leader. Just wanted him to know how proud I am of him.
Also my husband..he is just amazing..and does so much..
I LOVE LOVE LOVE these tags!!! I appreciate the ideas as during this time of year things seem to get busy and people are in such a hurry. This puts things in prospective. Thanks so much
I can’t wait to do this! I’ve been looking for some ideas to spread some blessings around!
I love this idea! I love my family and can’t wait to leave them all a note in their lunch boxes today. So fun!
I love how simple this is. Kindness doesn’t have to be shown with extravagant gifts.
I try to encourage family and co-workers. My granddaughter is always doing this and she is only 12!
I do this for my younger daughter often in her lunch. She loves to get little sticky notes from me. For my older daughter, I either text her or write messages on the bathroom mirror. These are my ‘sticky notes’ for her. :-)
I love you you are doing this!!
Leaving notes for my boys. High school and Middle school boys can use all the encouragement they can get.
I have a board on the refrigerator that says “I love you because…” My husband and I leave these kinds of “sticky notes” almost everyday for each other.
We love this…our daughter who is 29 now has been doing this for years as she has come home from visits while she was in college and when visiting her grandparents. We all have kept her sweet, beautifully doodled sticky notes up throughout the years to keep a smile on our face :)
I’m spreading kindness by giving our widows from our church family each a little Charlie brown tree branch in a tiny galvanized bucket with 1 small red bulb on the branch! Can’t wait to see their faces!
I’m writing sticky notes now. Thanks for the reminder that the little things sometimes matter the most.
I love this. I am a day behind but am excited to have my family surprised when they get home with special notes.
I may have missed this. But I love it and I did tweet and share this post.
Gotta find 12/6 post. :)
(Gotta is my NY accent. LOL)
I plan to leave little notes for my kids in their lunchboxes.
Thanks for the inspiration! Let the scattering commence!
I can’t wait to do all the days. Today I put a note and some chocolate kisses in ds’s lunchbox. :)
Love this! These things are definitely doable so far!
I didn’t use a Sticky Note but my husband & I got my 91.5 yr old Daddy out of a “sticky” situation! Daddy had a water leak that sent water in his storage room where he had 100 lbs of shelled peanuts stored. We sent our plumber to take care of him. (Hubs is a Gen Contractor) Daddy had installed a new water filter on his refrigerator & didn’t get it get screwed back in tightly. Hubs & I went over & he used the wet vac & sucked water up out of the water pan under the fridge & we mopped & cleaned the floor behind & under where the fridge had been sitting. (UGH!)
I just love your ideas for thinking of others over myself! It really is a blessing that comes back many times over again when you stop focusing on yourself and focus on others. I am going to join this wonderful project. Thank you so much!
This is great. It comes at just the right time. Our church Christmas program is this week and so it’s an extra crazy week. I am looking foward to setting my heart to give kindness each day. I set out the treats for the kids and hubs this morning and I wish I would have gotten a picture of their faces!!! Thank you for doing this xoxo
I just saw this on Facebook yesterday and thought this would be a wonderful thing to do. This is also my first time to your blog. I went home and put treats in my two sons bags. My oldest I put it in his lunch bag for work and my Sr. who is my youngest I put in his book bag. you can find me on fb at Gloria Johnston for pictures. Can;t wait to see what each day brings. Also I am not doing this for prize cause I want that to go to your followers.
When I was young I used to bake a giant cookie at Christmas and decorate it and give it to my elderly neighbours. Just because I loved them so.
the one in our family who is good at love notes is my daughter…she always has a sweet way of letting you know what matters