For the holiday season, I want to give back by challenging myself to do one small act of kindness every day this month. I love the spirit of giving this time of year, but I realize that for most of us, this year will be tighter than usual. But monetary donations aren’t the only way to give back! We can also give back with our time or our kindness.

Want to join me? Here are some ideas, and most of them are completely free!

• Help a neighbor by offering to pick up something they need at the grocery store next time you go food shopping.

• Send a text to a friend you haven't talked to in a while to say you're thinking of them.

• Volunteer at a community meal center.

• Leave an extra tip for the person who delivers your takeout order.

• Donate a book from your shelves to your local Little Free Library. Want to make it extra special? Leave a $5 bill inside with a note saying, “So you can enjoy this book with a cup of coffee or tea!”

• Let someone pass you in line, especially if that person is pregnant, elderly, or has children.

• Clean out your pantry and donate some nonperishables to your local food pantry.

• Support your local businesses not only by shopping local, but by sharing their social media accounts or leaving a review.

• Pick up the piece of garbage you notice on the ground.

• Leave a positive post-it note for a family member, friend, or stranger to find.

• Lend a book you’ve read to a friend.

• Pop a coin in an expired parking meter.

• Write a card for a hospitalized child. Cards for Hospitalized Kids is a nonprofit organization that distributes holiday and general cards to children in hospitals.

• Offer to rake leaves for an elderly neighbor.

• Give compliments to friends, family, and even strangers.

• Deliver a cup of coffee or a home-cooked meal to a tired parent.

• Write handwritten cards to your friends and family.

• Let someone pass in front of you in traffic.

• Clean out your closet and donate any clothes you no longer need. This is a win-win—it feels so good to clean out that closet!

• If you shop at Amazon, use Amazon Smiles. A portion of your purchase will go to a charity of your choice at no extra cost to you.

• Along the same lines, many businesses are giving back a portion of their sales. IME donates a portion of our sales to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. It’s a great cause. We highly recommend doing your holiday shopping somewhere that donates to a cause you believe in or donating what you can afford directly.

• Donate blood at your local hospital.

• Ask someone how you can help them.

• Leave encouraging comments on small businesses’ social media posts.

• Make a small gift for someone with your hands, like a bookmark or ornament.

• Hang up a sign to spread kindness in a window or outside your home.

• Ask a coworker how they are holding up and if they need any help.

• Write down the things you love about someone in your life and share it.

• Start a community garden. It’s a safe way to create connections within the community!

• Compliment a parent on their child’s behavior or tell them they’re doing a great job. Parents need to hear this more than ever right now.

• Call an elderly person in your family who is in quarantine. You can also ask your local nursing home if you can volunteer to be a virtual friend to a senior citizen.

• Foster a pet.

• Offer to virtually entertain someone’s child while they get some work done.

Let's cheer each other on Instagram! Have a wonderful holiday season, everyone!

For the holiday season, I want to give back by challenging myself to do one small act of kindness every day this month. I love the spirit of giving this time of year, but I realize that for most of us, this year will be tighter than usual. But monetary donations aren’t the only way to give back! We can also give back with our time or our kindness.

Want to join me? Here are some ideas, and most of them are completely free!

• Help a neighbor by offering to pick up something they need at the grocery store next time you go food shopping.

• Send a text to a friend you haven't talked to in a while to say you're thinking of them.

• Volunteer at a community meal center.

• Leave an extra tip for the person who delivers your takeout order.

• Donate a book from your shelves to your local Little Free Library. Want to make it extra special? Leave a $5 bill inside with a note saying, “So you can enjoy this book with a cup of coffee or tea!”

• Let someone pass you in line, especially if that person is pregnant, elderly, or has children.

• Clean out your pantry and donate some nonperishables to your local food pantry.

• Support your local businesses not only by shopping local, but by sharing their social media accounts or leaving a review.

• Pick up the piece of garbage you notice on the ground.

• Leave a positive post-it note for a family member, friend, or stranger to find.

• Lend a book you’ve read to a friend.

• Pop a coin in an expired parking meter.

• Write a card for a hospitalized child. Cards for Hospitalized Kids is a nonprofit organization that distributes holiday and general cards to children in hospitals.

• Offer to rake leaves for an elderly neighbor.

• Give compliments to friends, family, and even strangers.

• Deliver a cup of coffee or a home-cooked meal to a tired parent.

• Write handwritten cards to your friends and family.

• Let someone pass in front of you in traffic.

• Clean out your closet and donate any clothes you no longer need. This is a win-win—it feels so good to clean out that closet!

• If you shop at Amazon, use Amazon Smiles. A portion of your purchase will go to a charity of your choice at no extra cost to you.

• Along the same lines, many businesses are giving back a portion of their sales. IME donates a portion of our sales to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. It’s a great cause. We highly recommend doing your holiday shopping somewhere that donates to a cause you believe in or donating what you can afford directly.

• Donate blood at your local hospital.

• Ask someone how you can help them.

• Leave encouraging comments on small businesses’ social media posts.

• Make a small gift for someone with your hands, like a bookmark or ornament.

• Hang up a sign to spread kindness in a window or outside your home.

• Ask a coworker how they are holding up and if they need any help.

• Write down the things you love about someone in your life and share it.

• Start a community garden. It’s a safe way to create connections within the community!

• Compliment a parent on their child’s behavior or tell them they’re doing a great job. Parents need to hear this more than ever right now.

• Call an elderly person in your family who is in quarantine. You can also ask your local nursing home if you can volunteer to be a virtual friend to a senior citizen.

• Foster a pet.

• Offer to virtually entertain someone’s child while they get some work done.

Let's cheer each other on Instagram! Have a wonderful holiday season, everyone!