As the holiday season approaches, many of us look for ways to spread joy and give back, even in small ways. Sometimes, it’s the smallest gestures that can make the biggest difference. From donating warm clothing and supporting local food banks to sending holiday cards to nursing homes, these simple acts of kindness add up to create a lasting impact.
Every small effort this season contributes to a brighter, more connected community. Here are 10 meaningful ideas to inspire your giving spirit and help make a difference this holiday season:
- Support Local Food Banks: Donate non-perishable items or a small monetary contribution. Even a few canned goods can help provide meals for families in need. Take a look in your cabinets and panties, and put together a bag of goods. You might even be able to drop them off locally, like at your grocery store, if the Food Bank has a collection bin. If you’re located in Maryland, (Points North is!) you can find your local bank on Maryland Food Bank’s website.
- Buy from Local Businesses: Shopping small helps support local entrepreneurs and keeps your money circulating within the community, which has a lasting economic impact. In fact, we blogged about “5 Small Businesses to Support this Holiday Season” for this very reason! BONUS – gifts from small businesses are very unique! Try asking your friends what the’r favorite small businesses are.
- Donate Warm Clothing: Gently used coats, hats, gloves, and scarves can go a long way in helping those facing cold weather. Have you heard of Trashie? Their Take Back Bag makes it easy to keep your unwanted clothing and textiles from ending up in landfills. Plus, they also have a rewards program that rewards you for your donations.
- Holiday Wish List: It’s fun to shop for other people, especially kids. Not all families have the means to put dozens of presents under the tree. This is where you can help out. You can buy toys and donate them to organizations like The Children’s Inn at NIH, and they’ll get them under the trees of deserving families this holiday season. You won’t get to see them rip open your gift on Christmas morning, but you’ll have such a good time shopping and sending presents.
- Send Cards to Nursing Homes, Hospitals, or Elders: A heartfelt note or holiday card can lift spirits and help those who may feel isolated or lonely during the season. Organizations like Love For Our Elders or Cards For Hospitalized Kids can help you get started on turning your art and words into an act of kindness.
- Send Coffee to a Friend: This is such a quick and easy way to make someone’s day. Send a gift card, or even $10 through a cash app, to a friend and tell them “Your coffee is on me today”! You can write whatever note you want, but I guarantee you they’ll be smiling. It’s the small, thoughtful gestures that really can impact someone’s entire day, or week! It’s the best surprise. You could also pay for the coffee of the person behind you in line.
- Give Compliments to Strangers: Giving compliments has far-reaching positive impacts, not just for the recipient but also for the person giving the compliment. When someone receives a genuine compliment, they’re often more likely to pass it on, creating a ripple of kindness and positivity that can spread through a community. So, if you like their sweater, say so! And let the kindness spreading begin.
- Double Tip on Your Next Meal (or coffee order): This generous act will definitely lift the spirits of the recipient, and will be so unexpected. If you’re feeling bold (and it won’t break your budget), you can go ahead and tip 100%.
- Offer to Help a Neighbor or Friend: Acts like shoveling snow, raking leaves, or running errands for someone who may need extra help can be incredibly supportive. Small gestures like these make a big difference in someone’s day-to-day life.
- Leave a Book Somewhere: New books are expensive! If you have a good read that you’ve finished, leave your book for someone else to find it and read. You could leave it in the mailroom of your apartment, or the coffee break room of your office. Add a note that it’s FREE! And you can even share why you enjoyed the book.
Be warned, possible side effects include gratitude and a warm fuzzy feeling inside. This holiday season, let’s commit to spreading goodwill in our communities, inspiring others to do the same. Together, we can create a ripple effect of kindness that lasts well beyond the holidays—making our world a little brighter, one act of kindness at a time.
Naomi Oriol is a Customer Experience Specialist with over seven years in her profession. Her expertise include customer experience design, service recovery, quality and training, customer insights, self-service programs, leadership, and project management.
