Day 3 of 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways (with Rad Joy)

*Give Away has Ended*

It’s Day 3 of 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways! If you’re just joining in, be sure to start at Day 1 here.

Well, I don’t have three French hens for you today but I do have day three of my 12th annual 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways! 

Before we get to our guest and her giveaway, my friend Jackie Drew from Rad Joy, a a family company that is all about spiritual growth, here is the idea for the day.

Day 3: Surprises that Soothe the Soul

The holidays aren’t always the most joyful for those who are grieving. This may be due to a death in the family. However, death isn’t the only reason people may be experiencing grief. They may have recently divorced and are facing their first holiday season as a single parent. Or, they may have just become empty nesters and their children are all living in different states or countries and they will be all alone on Christmas morning this year.

One year, about a decade ago, a friend of ours was facing his first Christmas as a single dad raising nearly half a dozen children. He was the victim of an unwanted divorce and as the holidays loomed, so did the sadness in his family. One afternoon, he called me from a department store to see if my husband and I could meet him there to help him pick out decorations for his house since he didn’t get any in the divorce. It was such a sorrowful scene watching him try his best to make a happy holiday season for his kids. It was then that God gave me a brilliant idea.

I called eleven other families and together we pulled a “12 Days of Christmas Surprises” for this dad and his kids. It all began on December 13th so the final day would be Christmas Eve.

I kicked things off by being day one. I took a large market basket I found at a secondhand store and filled it with goodies. In it was an inexpensive gift for each of the kids wrapped in cheery Christmas wrap. I included a homemade chicken pot pie, a large bag of salad, and some chocolate chip cookies for their supper that night. I also tucked in a gift card to a local movie theater so they could all go out as a family together. 

I attached a card telling them that they were going to be the recipients of 12 days of Christmas surprises. After they removed the goodies from the basket, they were to place it back out on their front porch. Each morning it would be filled with more goodies right up until Christmas Eve. Oh, and one more thing. They were never going to be told just who the elves were pulling off this holiday happiness.

Each morning in the cover of dark, a new person would fill the basket with goodies. Sometimes there were homemade meals. Other times the basket held a gift certificate to a local restaurant. There were simple gifts for the kids to unwrap or maybe a video or board game for the whole family to enjoy.  And always there was an anonymous encouraging note letting them know how very much they were loved.

My friend suspected that Todd and I were behind the dozen days of love, but we never admitted to it. He told us how his children’s spirits went from severe sadness to joyful anticipation during those 12 days. It made what could have been a season of sorrow one of excitement instead.

Is there someone you know who is grieving this year? Try pulling off your own 12 days of surprises. If that seems like too daunting of a task, just leave an anonymous basket of love on their porch one morning during December. It will not only make their season, it will make yours as well.

Day 3 Giveaway

Jackie Drew (and her husband Rick) from Rad Joy are giving away a Rad Box to help you organize your daily prayer and Bible study supplies. (Supplies not included).

Giveaway rules are listed below. Enjoy!

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Rick and Jackie Drew founded Rad Joy to create beautiful and purpose-filled Christian products that help others radically deepen their faith as they joyfully walk with the Lord. Through their growing, excelling, falling down, getting up, trusting, clinging to Jesus, and surrendering, they are learning to experience Radical Joy! Connect with them on their blog and on Instagram.

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12 Days of Christmas Giveaways Rules

1. U.S. Addresses only please.
2. You can comment on all 12 days (once per person) up until midnight Pacific time, Sunday, December 22. Each day will be linked below for easy reference.
3. One daily winner will be chosen from each day’s comments.
4. To enter to win the Grand Prize, (worth over $150 and includes a $75 Amazon gift card, and two admission tickets (with meet-and-greet) to a concert with award-winning country music artist, Granger Smith, comment on, and share, all 12 posts. You can use the share buttons below or repost and share on Instagram (my fave!) and tag me @karenehman.
5. All winners (including Grand Prize) will be announced here on the blog on Monday, December 23, and contacted via email. Please allow 4-6 weeks to receive your prizes. 
6. If you’re not already subscribed, click HERE and you’ll receive an email notification each day of our series, plus my Bless Don’t Stress devotional.

Day 3 Giveaway Question

Is there someone you know who is grieving this year? Leave their initials here so we can pray for them. Make sure to brainstorm what you might do to make their holidays brighter.

To be entered to win Jackie’s giveaway, answer in the comments section. And remember, if you want to enter to win the grand prize, you must comment on and share all twelve days.

Affiliate links may be included. We only recommend products we know our readers will love!

Day 1 with Candace Cameron Bure

Day 2 with Alena Pitts

Day 4 with Courtney Joseph

Day 5 with Trillia Newbell

Day 6 with Ruth Chou Simons

Day 7 with Phylicia Masonheimer

Day 8 with Jada Edwards

Day 9 with Ruth Schwenk