7 Thoughtful Ways to Spread Love This Holiday Season

Inside: Consider these thoughtful ways to spread love this holiday season to bring joy to someone’s day.

A guest post by Rose Morrison

Christmas is about more than just exchanging gifts and indulging in a sumptuous feast. At its core, this holiday season is about giving love.

Why join the Christmas shopping rush if you can spread the love this holiday season?

This year, consider doing acts of kindness throughout the month to bring joy to others. Some people are struggling this time of year and your thoughtful gesture could make a big impact.

Here are seven ways to spread love this holiday season and show appreciation to your community and loved ones.

7 Ways to Spread Love This Holiday Season

This year you can give better gifts to your loved ones by focusing on ways to spread love this holiday season. Here are seven ideas to get you started.

1. Give Flowers

If you have flowers growing in your garden, a few colorful blooms can bring a smile to your loved ones’ faces. It’s the perfect way to show your love and care without worrying about knowing the person’s taste because everybody appreciates them.

Think about the people around you, especially those going through a hard time. You’ll be surprised to know how this act of kindness can make someone’s day.

Take this instance from Trader Joe’s as an example — a cashier noticed a customer going through a hard time, so he ran off, returned with a bouquet, and gave it to her to make her day.

Create a DIY bouquet to make your gesture more heartfelt. You can choose from quintessential holiday picks, such as amaryllis, cyclamen, and poinsettias — all bright and beautiful blooms that can liven up their spirits and home.

Avoid giving lilies because it is toxic for cats, with signs of poisoning appearing within the first 12 hours of exposure.

Flowers are a thoughtful gesture that can bring cheer into the recipient’s home.

2. Create Something Homemade

Instead of joining the holiday shopping rush, get creative in your kitchen. Make hot chocolate, put it inside disposable cups with lids, and share it with your neighbors or co-workers. Leave short notes on the cup to make the gesture more memorable.

Kindness knows no limits. You can also share your love with strangers.

Look at how Tiff’s Treats showed appreciation to grocery store employees by giving out free cookies. This small act of gift-giving can brighten someone’s day instantly.

You can also bake your favorite pie, brownies, or signature recipe everybody loves. Invite them to your house to enjoy the treats with you or pack them in boxes and give them away. 

A homemade meal or treat is a great way to give something without creating clutter. Check out this post for more clutter-free gift ideas.

Remember the saying, the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach — no words needed.

3. Give Back Through Teaching

Christmas is a time of giving. It’s an opportunity to give back and share knowledge to express love for others. When you help someone learn, you also provide them with happiness and a sense of accomplishment.

The gift of knowledge happens throughout the year, but there’s something extra special about it when given during Christmas.

Busy Beaver, a local home improvement store, exemplifies this spirit throughout the year. The company holds a Kids’ Workshop, which helps children explore creative activities, such as decorating gifts for Mother’s Day and making Christmas ornaments.

If you are passionate about something, such as arts or cooking, offer free lessons to those who want to learn more about it.

There’s nothing quite as heartwarming as teaching people to do things they didn’t know they were capable of.

4. Volunteer for a Cause

Pause and take a moment to realize how lucky you are to have family, friends, and a warm home. Being grateful for your blessings is one thing, but being a blessing to others is one of the best feelings in the world.

This Christmas, consider positively impacting other people’s lives through volunteering.

Visit homeless shelters, local hospitals, or food banks looking for extra hands, especially during the busy holiday season.

If you have spare time, sign up for a volunteer shift or offer assistance in food packing and distributing processes. For instance, if you own a small business, you can donate a percentage of your profits to your chosen cause.

Arctic Haven Studio, a small art business in Alaska, donates 10% of its profits to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC) to rehabilitate and support injured animals.

Choosing a cause close to your heart and bringing Christmas cheer to others is a simple way to show your care to the community.

5. Show Appreciation

Many people spend so much time with their families, friends, and coworkers that they forget to show appreciation. 

This Christmas season, you don’t need to buy an expensive present to express love and care to the people around you. Sometimes, all it takes are a few words and effort. Look at how skincare brand Journ added handwritten notes to orders to make customers feel valued. 

Get a piece of paper and write something heartfelt. You can attach this to your homemade goodies or DIY bouquets. This trick also works as a great surprise to coworkers — just leave a note on their desks and see their reactions afterward.

Expressing your appreciation verbally can also go a long way. If you think a simple thank you isn’t impactful enough, let that person know specifically what you appreciate about them.

All it takes is some thought and a few seconds to help encourage someone and brighten their day. 

6. Stay in Touch With a Long-Distance Friend

Christmas is a time to enjoy with your favorite people, but what if a loved one is too far away to join you over a meal? With the wonders of technology, all it takes is one video call to reconnect with a long-distance friend.

However, making time for friends in the middle of the hustle and bustle can be tricky. It takes time and effort to be intentional with your friendships.

Receiving a meaningful text or call from someone in your life is a great way to spread love this holiday season.

And when you do get a chance to chat, make sure to listen and ask good questions. That will help your friend feel loved and cared for.

If they have an important appointment or event coming up, put it on your calendar to remind yourself to check back in with them after it’s over. Knowing someone is thinking about you and cares enough to remember what is important to you is a meaningful gift that will bring joy to their day.

7. Consider the Needs of Others

During the holiday season, people find themselves in a variety of circumstances. Some are stressed trying to make ends meet. Others may be feeling blue and mourning the loss of someone they loved.

Consider how you could help your community and your loved ones. That could mean donating a gift to a local giving tree. It could mean giving a friend a gift card to a grocery store or gas station.

Is there someone in your life who would benefit from the gift of your time? Could you offer to babysit or watch their pets? Or maybe they just want someone to be there and listen during a difficult time.

Simple acts like holding the door open for others, offering a compliment, or even just smiling at someone can help bring some holiday cheer.

By thoughtfully considering the needs of the people around you, you can spread love this holiday season by making them feel seen.

Consider what useful gifts would be beneficial. And remember that the gift doesn’t have to cost you money. It can be giving your time as well.

Practice Gratitude by Spreading Love This Holiday Season

As you spread love to others, don’t forget to throw some your way, too. Love is the most powerful gift you can give yourself this holiday season.

Write your gratitude list in a journal — good health, better relationships, your job, and the chance to express love to your family and friends.

As the year comes to an end, remember to spread love even when the holidays are over. 

Ready to Spread Love This Christmas?

The next time you’re tempted to go holiday shopping, remember some of the best presents can’t be bought. The greatest gift you can provide is love, and there’s more than one way to show that.

What ways do you plan to spread love this holiday season? Let us know in the comments section!

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