We have reached the holiday season of giving. This time of year is such a cheer-y one, and it’s important for all of us to help spread that love and cheer.

5 Ways to Spread Joy and Happiness this Holiday Season

1. Volunteer your Time

There are so many worthy causes that you can spend some time with this year. It doesn’t take a lot of time, but just a few hours this winter could really make a difference.

• Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Servers are definitely always needed, and if you can rally people in your life to make a big time or food donation with you, that would be even cooler!
• Spend some time at an animal shelter. Dogs and cats also need some Christmas cheer! Spend a bit of time with a puppy and help them have some fun this holiday.
• Sing songs and hang out with people at nursing homes. This one is so so so important. Being in a nursing home can be really lonely at times, especially during the holiday season. Go spread some love and volunteer there, meet the sweetest people, and listen to all their stories.
  • Do the same at a children’s hospital! Children get lonely around the holidays too, especially at bigger hospitals where they may be away from their family for treatment.

2. Donate To A Worthy Cause

There are SO many worthy holiday causes!

At my bank they usually have a tree up with all the neighborhood children who can’t afford to have a great Christmas. You can go, sponsor a child, and get them all sorts of fun goodies, wrap them, then deliver them back to the bank for them to deliver the presents. I am sure that your bank or somewhere in your town have a similar program.

If you can’t find that program in your town, I also love Operation Christmas Child. You get a fun Operation Christmas Child shoe box, fill it with necessities like toothbrushes (but not tooth paste), bar soap, combs/brushes, clothes, wash cloths, stuffed animals, etc. You can fill the box as much as you’d like, and be sure to include a personal note along with it

These are my two favorite ways, but there are SO many worthy causes to donate to during the holidays. It’s all about seeking out the right ways to donate so that people are positively affected.

3. Give A Gift To Someone You Wouldn’t Think To

We obviously think of members of our family and close friends, but your gift giving doesn’t have to stop there. Here are some people you may also want to give gifts to:

• Your Mailman: You have to be careful about this, because your mailman won’t be able to accept just any gifts. They need to be worth less than $20, and they can’t just be straight cash. There are many regulations that you can look up if you search for giving a present to your mailman.
• Your Child’s Teacher: Teachers spend so much time invested with our children. It would be nice to show them how much you appreciate them.
• Your Friend: Even if you aren’t super close with a friend, it’s worth getting them a little something, even if it’s a $5 gift card to their favorite coffee place. It’s always the thought that counts.

4. Pay it Forward

There are so many gifts that probably wouldn’t be classified as straight up gifts. Like:

• Paying for the coffee of the person behind you in line.
• Bringing food a friend while they are studying for finals.
• Donate your frequent flyer miles to charity if you have any.

There are so many quick and interesting ways that you can make a difference in someone else’s life this holiday season.

5. Leave Inspirational Messages to People

An inspirational message can lift you up for the rest of the day. There are many ways that you can do this:

• Shower people in compliments. Each time you think of something nice to say to someone, make sure that you actually say it to them. Do you see someone in the mall and love their hair? Make sure you let them know that! When you take the small time to let people know, it will be such a great feeling for that person. I know how much compliments positively affect me, and they can do the same for others.
• Type out some random inspiration and leave it places. Go to Google or Pinterest and look up inspirational phrases and quotes. Type all of those out on a sheet of paper, cut them out, and leave them in random places on campus and in your town. When people find them, it’s bound to brighten their day. Make sure you leave the notes in a place people are likely to find.

These inspirational messages can make the day of the people on the other end of them, so speak happiness into other people’s lives!