The Spirit of Giving: Quick Ideas to Give and Brighten Someone's Day

 

People talk a lot about Christmas in July, you have probably heard it mentioned at some point.  Mompact has teamed up Boogie Wipes, Spin Kindness, and Kandoo for a Summer Spirit of Giving event that is sure to bring a little cheer to all who participate!  There are lots of ways to join in - virtual giving tree, huge sales and community kindness projects.

Speaking of community kindness projects, there are tons of great ideas for you to jump start your kindness now.  Why wait for December?  Here are a few ideas: volunteer, gather cans for your local food bank, read at a nursing home or set up a winter volunteer project during the summer handing out socks, make welcome packs for new teachers, have a mini summer toy drive, have your kids make cards with messages of hope and hand them out wherever you go....

It is fairly hot in the summers here in Texas.  The kids and I decided to hand out water bottles during a hot day for our Summer Kindness project.  We printed out labels and the girls made pictures to give them a personal touch.  We attached them to 24 water bottles and we plan to give them out this week as we are out and about.  We hope to bless people as we distribute these bottles!

 The labels B made.

 Water bottles ready to hand out.

 A close up view...

Please join Mompact for a Twitter party next week on Thursday, August 13th.  You will get to discuss the spirit of giving and ways that you can be involved and more!  They will be giving out lots of prizes from their sponsors so be sure to show up and participate, use #SSofGiving.  I hope to see you there!

Oh, and be sure to enter the awesome #SSGiving Giveaway going on now.  Support the event sponsors and awesome mom business owners by following them on social media and gaining entries into the giveaway, a win-win.

#SpinKindness and Change the World

As this year comes to a close I wanted to share a kindness movement with you that I have been a part of for the last three months, #SpinKindness.  I have had the honor to partner with my Saline Ambassador group (MomsWhoBoogie aka BWTeam4) this quarter to Spin Kindness throughout my city and beyond.  I was also selected as a BoogieWipes Blogger to receive amazing goodies to hand out.  I had so much fun working with the kids in creating kindness bags and coming up with creative ways to bless people throughout our city.  We handed out fun samples and bags to friends and people we knew.  We gave them to neighbors and complete strangers.  We left some in locations around the city for people to find.  And we made a few new friends along the way.  Not only were we able to make someone's day a little brighter but were so blessed in return.  Watching people smile, seeing someone's day get turned around - it is so rewarding and you cannot help but feel good.  It really makes you think about what more you can do and far you can go. 

Special Kindness Kit

Lots of goodies inside to share!

Working on notes to include with each sample bag.

I was so proud of the girls.  They wanted to make each bag/kit personal and include a note.  Words are so powerful and it made me tear up to see them writing things like YOU ARE LOVED.  

I am a huge fan of Busy Bags so it was great to have this one included in our box.

A and B helped me create tons of kindness bags to hand out.

B giving out a bag she made for a girl.

 A door hanger to leave on someone's door.

 A full container of dreft wipes to surprise someone with.

Hot Cocoa cups filled with goodies that we distributed to neighbors on a cold night.  This idea was all my kids and I loved it.  We even included little bags of marshmallows to complete it!

 I made bags with diapers, wipes and boogie wipes samples to leave at changing stations around town in hopes of blessing someone who might have forgotten a diaper bag or be in a pinch!

 Here is one at a changing station in Austin.

Our city doesn't give out bags for groceries anymore without charging a fee - we have moved to reusable bags. I have forgotten a bag on occasion so I thought I would hand out a few to bless people.

 

 Handing out samples and kindness bags at The Thinkery, the Children's Museum in Austin.

 We left some samples in the painting area!

It is truly amazing how an act of kindness can change a person, situation, city and begin a movement that can truly impact the world.  What do you think?  How can you spin some kindness today?