December 2020 Editor's Fix
It’s the middle of November, and my willingness to dive into the Christmas spirit has arrived earlier than ever. (Less the Elf on the Shelf. That can wait.) I’ve noticed I am not alone. The neighbourhood homes are adorned with colourful lights and festive décor. I catch snippets of holiday songs as cars pass by or a fellow shopper hums a tune. I almost want to order an Eggnog latté the next time I frequent a café. I’ve been ticking off my shopping list at local stores (wow, how lucky are we for this wealth and diversity?). And Netflix and Disney + are not disappointing with their extensive lists of holiday films, both classic and contemporary.
It’s not surprising, is it? This fall has been extremely tough and as the second wave of COVID-19 sweeps over us, the reality is impossible to ignore. This season is going to be different.
Now is the time to set ourselves up for success. While we may not have that extensive gathering of friends and family, there are infinite ways to share the spirit of love and giving and let’s be honest… this year, it is more important than ever and even the smallest of efforts could have an extremely big impact on a person or family’s life.
Chat with your staff. Your friends. Your family. Maybe even set a zoom date for the occasion - festive drinks encouraged. And make a list of challenges for yourselves. Here are some ideas!
One act of kindness for a neighbour – Shoveling a driveway. Creating an outdoor winter planter. Singing some carols outside their door!
One act of kindness for a local business – Share a social media post. Send their staff flowers as a thank you. Give them a gift card to a local coffee shop to help them get through the busy holidays.
One act of kindness for a local organization – Purchase a membership. Make a donation. Write them a note of thanks and appreciation for all they add to our community.
One act of kindness for City staff/ representatives – Send a gift basket to City Hall! Stop a staff member and say, ‘great job!’ Post a big THANK YOU on one of their social media posts!
One act of kindness for a local school – Create a video with your kids to give to administration or your teachers! Donate to the Breakfast Club.
One act of kindness for a health care professional – These people could use a week at the spa! Literally any show of appreciation would go a long way.
These are just some ideas. Gratitude and kindness are infectious, and while we work hard to stop the rate of infection of COVID-19 we can and should make it a priority to accentuate gratitude and kindness within our community.
Wishing you and yours the best this holiday season.