Announcing Random Acts of Christmas Kindness Week 2016 #RACKWEEK

Announcing #RACKWEEK (Dec. 11 – 18, 2016)

During the week of December 11-17, I am inviting you to join me in Random Acts of Christmas Kindness (R.A.C.K.).

If you have been around here for a while, you are familiar with our annual RACKWEEK fun. Each year the members of our Merry Little Christmas Project community dedicate a week to blessing unsuspecting people in need of some encouragement and hope during Christmastime. I love seeing the creative and beautiful ideas our community comes up with.

Here are a few of the ways we have RACK’ed in the past:

Taking my son around town armed with candy canes and notes of appreciation.

Leaving free Redbox codes on our local Redbox. (You can use this printable to make your own!)

Leaving quarters in vending machines and at the local laundromat.

A free hot cocoa stand in our neighborhood

Here are a few ways that MLCers have gotten involved in years past:

and much more.

Giving is always fun – but even more fun is knowing that we are a part of community of people focused on giving, isn’t it? That’s why I’d like to invite you to join me for a Random Acts of Christmas Kindness Week during the week of December 11– 17, 2016.

Joining is easy. At some point during the week, find a way to be kind to someone who doesn’t expect it. We’ll be sharing our R.A.C.K.’s (Random Acts of Christmas Kindness) over on The Merry Little Christmas Project Facebook page. You can just leave a comment on the wall sharing how you found joy in giving this week or wait until Saturday when we’ll do one big Facebook comment thread celebrating our GIVING this week.

You can find free printables for your RACK attack here.

Even better, post a picture of your RACK along with the hashtag #RACKWEEK on Facebook or Instagram! (Follow me on Instagram here.)

No matter what, let’s just pass on some kindness to those who need, shall we? Leave a comment if you are up for the challenge!

Need some inspiration? Here are 50 Random Acts of Christmas Kindness ideas for you:

Make a Card for a Soldier (contact your local Red Cross)
Write a Thank You Note to someone who might not expect one
Do Yard Work for a Neighbor
Pick up litter in your neighborhood – or someone else’s
Make Bird Seed ornaments to give to your neighbors
Pay for the car behind you at the drive-through
Leave coins and/or laundry detergent with a note at the Laundromat
Leave a dollar and a note in the Kids’ section of the Dollar Store
Leave the correct amount of change in a baggie taped to a Redbox
Write cards to any shut-ins that you know
Donate needed items to a local food pantry or homeless shelter
Donate your time to a local food pantry or homeless shelter
Pay a past due fine for someone at the library
Donate a special talent of yours to someone in need (crafting, technology, cooking, etc.)
Smile at everyone you see
Visit someone in a nursing home
Adopt a soldier and send a care package
Donate toys or groceries to a Ronald McDonald House
Bring a cup of coffee to a friend or someone who is having a rough day
Leave treats or a gift card for your mail carrier
Do something special for someone in your family
Donate to a local animal shelter
Leave coupons near products in a store
Tip a server more than you normally would
Put a quarter in a meter that’s about to expire
Buy stamps for the person behind you at the Post Office
Donate blood
Make a date night kit for a couple who needs a break (Redbox code, popcorn, candy, hot chocolate)
Call someone you haven’t in a while and let them know you are thinking of them
Have a nice camera? Offer to take family pictures for a family in need
Make personal care kits for abuse or homeless shelters
Send a thank you note to your child’s teacher
Donate a gift to Toys for Tots
Adopt a child from Angel Tree.
Offer to babysit a busy Mom’s kids for the afternoon
Go Christmas caroling in a Nursing Home
Bring misplaced shopping carts back
Take a homeless person some food or drink
Offer to walk someone’s dog
Go spend some time with a shut-in
Leave a quarter in a gumball machine
Bring donuts to your local police or fire department
Organize a neighborhood play date at your house
Order a pizza to be delivered to a busy Mom
Write “Have a Great Day” in chalk on your neighbors’ driveways
Find a parking attendant in a cold garage and bring him/her a hot chooclate
Surprise the cashier when you are shopping and buy him or her a gift card as part of your order
Print a photo of your family and write THANK YOU on it and pass it out to those who need to be thanked
Donate diapers to a crisis pregnancy center
Buy a gift card for a gas station worker

Have any other ideas to add to the list?