Well … December is over and with it, our Random Acts of Christmas Kindness or RACK. This year the girls and I made the Christmas season about loving others and in the process, sharing God’s love for others, by performing one RACK each day of Advent.
Here’s an iPhone photo of our mission completed!
As with my handmade Christmas gifts … I didn’t want to make this RACK activity about “blogging” it … I wanted to be truly “present” with each activity and the girls, so instead of bringing my camera and worrying about blogging shots … I’d grab a random iPhone photo when I could.
Some of our activities included in the photos below:
- Taping candy canes to ATM machines around town
- Bringing the girls riding instructor {and barn manager} hot cocoa and a muffin early one morning
- Taping quarters to vending and toy machines around town
- Grocery shopping for the sole purpose of putting it in the “Food for Families” box in the entryway of the store
- Plugging meters around town {and lots of fun explaining to the girls what “plugging” a meter meant!}
- Donating 72 stockings with treats, candy and a craft for second graders at a school in need
- Ringing Salvation Army bells
- Handing out Starbucks gift cards {$5.00 value each}
Some of our activities without photos:
- Paid past due library fees for 5 people
- Donated a poinsettia to the girls school
- Bought and donated toys for “Toys 4 Tots”
- Brought the girls teachers their favorite Starbucks drinks
- Brought treats to the employees of our local Post Office branch
- Purged from the girls personal “library” and donated to a school library in need
Originally, our plan was to hand out flowers at the mall, but the day before this RACK was planned, CJ had his company program and shared with everyone how we were celebrating the Advent season … that they “were about to be RACK’ed” … and had the girls go through and hand out Starbucks cards to everyone. We had a ton left over, so decided to hand them out at the mall instead of flowers.
I have to tell you … I experienced an incredible surge of emotion and thoughts as we were handing them out. Either people were so shocked and happy, or people would ignore us, shaking their heads and walking by. As people were ignoring us … or more significantly, the girls, I made a solemn vow to grab whatever anyone was trying to give me from now on!
The next day, I received this message …
Hi Tracie! Just wanted to share this with you..
Bennett and I were at the mall yesterday
and of course, I was kind-of rushing through
the holiday crowd to pick something up
(wanting to get in and out) and Bennett tugs o
my hand and said, “Mom, did you hear that?
Someone said they have free Starbucks cards.”
Not even turning around, I told him that it
was probably someone wanting you to buy
something, that nothing is ever for free.
Long story short, when I got home and read
your status, I explained to him that he was right
and it was the perfect opportunity to talk about
all the good that people have in them.
So I wanted to thank you for 1. Reminding me
that there is “good” out there, and
2. That I need to slow down and really listen!
I LOVED this note!! It’s exactly what I experienced from the other side of giving out the cards. And seriously, what another amazing lesson in how when you do something selflessly to bless others, you end up being blessed yourself!
The girls were watching TV recently and something came on explaining Advent … this particular activity was using candles to countdown Advent. I took the opportunity to talk about all the different ways people celebrate, and I even reminded them of our activity last year. When they asked what we’d do next year, I asked what they wanted to do.
Hands down and with excitement they quickly answered, “our kindness activity.” Yep! just like I always say … it’s far better to give than to receive!”
Praying a happy and blessed 2011 for you all!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
UPDATE {11.28.11}
I’ve created a blank RACK’ed activity card … the download can be found in this post. At the end of the post, you’ll find another link to other downloads.
Thank you … SO much … for the response to this little activity we did last year! I’m amazed and excited to think how many people will be blessed this year because of it! If you have a moment, be sure to stop by and let me know how it went for you! Have fun and be blessed!!
This is one of the coolest things I have ever seen! What a blessing you and your family are. I hope one day to be able to this with my son and any future children we have! Have a great New Year!!
I LOVE THIS! What blessings you girls were to so many this season! And I love that the girls loved doing it too!
What a wonderful way to spread Christmas cheer. Love how into it the girls got and think it’s awesome that’s what they want to do next year. Giving is definitely better than receiving and that fact the girls get it at such a young age is amazing.
I wish you and your family nothing but the best in 2011!!! Love ya.
more than the RAKs themselves, i love that you pushed through and were faithful to complete it with your girls! what a testimony to your girls.
i also loved the “fear not” cards in the last post. can’t wait to print those out and send them to friends for new years!
taking notes for next year! i LOVE this project!
I love that you’re teaching your girls a heart of giving – not just through words but through actions. These lessons will stick with them forever.
love.love.love this!!
thanks for following up on how it went.
What if you set up a jar {or maybe just simply a word document} for you and the girls to add ideas to all year long of things you could do for RACK next December? That way when the time comes around you’ll have a whole bunch of meaningful ideas – maybe needs you saw through the year, things people did that touched you that you want to do to others, etc.
You inspired me to reach out to others this season – while it was a busy time with us just getting back from Africa we did take the time to make signs and treats and hand them out to our favorite decorated homes when we went Christmas light looking :)
Love this Tra! I think I may have to jump on your band wagon next year and do some RACKing! You are such an amazing person!
I’m definitely going to try this next year with my kids…great ideas!
OUTSTANDING!
LOVE LOVE LOVE your creative activies… I’m so inspired by your RACK wrap up. THANKS for making this world a more beautiful and loving place my friend!!!!!!
Just found you via KM! I love your cards attached to your kindness and the “You’ve been RACK’ed”…very cool!!
this post has such great ideas — i feel inspired to do this next christmas! your blog is inspirational, lovely, and delightful. i wanna be something like you when i grow up. (i’m 21 and a photographer too) :)
Clearly- Rack-ing should be all the rage!
I want to do this!!! Even though it’s not “technically” Christmas anymore!
I’m gonna get brainstorming!!!!!
This has wonderful new ideas for me…the last few years, I have done several things similar in my little town…I buy Christmas ornaments on sale after Christmas each year for the next year…I put them in small brown bags with a little decoration on it and drop them prior to Christmas, at like McDonalds at the drive-thru.. at the supermarket, pharmacy drive=thru….people love it…thanks and I will use the little verse now…..
This is FABULOUS!!!!! You wouldn’t by any chance have a printable of the RAK note you left do you?? I would love to do this with my children!
thx
j
Adding this to our Advent celebration!!! Wonderful! Thank you for ringing bells! That bell ringing allowed for many more RAK’s!!!
This is wonderful. I want to steal some of these ideas. How the Lord has gifted you with enouragement and bringing joy to others!
Thanks for sharing… what an amazing story, and how blessed you are to be able to do this! wE USUALLY BUY COFFEE for the people behind us int he line at the coffee shop, but this is far better! I believe this is a good thing we could do with our girlscout troop! :) Thank you for so generously sharing! **cheers**
I absolutely love this idea, and it has come at the perfect time for me. I know that doing good things for others makes a person feel better about themselves so in my little journey this will help me and hopefully 25 others!
I love these ideas and I can’t wait to get started!!
This is so amazing. I plan to share it with my daughter and son as well – already looking forward to teaching her the “true” meaning of Christmas. Thank you so much for this wonderful idea!!!
I love your RACK cards. Do you have the file you can share via email?
I love this idea, and even though I am just now finding it, I hope to do this THIS year. I hope also to share it not only with my family but with my church family as well. My Sunday School class (named Living Out Acts) has a mission to reach out to others as the early church did, and how much more perfect could a project such as this be? LOVE LOVE LOVE this! Thanks for the wonderful ideas!
I loved what you and your girls did its wonderful and you made so many people happy. I will be doing this myself this year, thanks for the idea and the big heart you have. Merry Christmas and God Bless You joy
I’ll bet that since you’ve done this your children notice and do things all year long, not just during the holidays. Way to set a great example! Rack On! lol
I love this idea. I was looking for something to do with my kids (8 & 5) this year during Christmas. This is exactly the type of kindness activity I want to share with my family! Thank you so much!
I just LOVE this! Found it on pinterest. Do you have the file to share so we could help in spreading the blessing of CHRISTmas?
This is such a wonderful idea. Thanks for the inspiration!
Can you please share the file for the card?? I am definitely doing this with my children this year!
Thanks!!
Hello…I am reading this and have chills! I have wanted to do something like this but had no idea how to even get started. Sometimes we need a little help to get us started. I want to try this in my neighborhood this holiday season to help brighten someone’s day. My children are SUCH little helpers, and I KNOW they would love to do this. Thanks so much for your love of Christ and for your desire to help make someone’s day!!! :)
Found this on Pinterest and I’m sooooo excited to start with my boys. What a great way to pay it forward and show them that kindness is always the best way :)
I LOVE that this is how I’ve stumbled onto your blog (thank you Pinterest!). I’m mentioning this in my blog tomorrow! Thanks so much for your inspiration!
Thanks for sharing, its a wonderful idea. We’ve always done “ring ‘n run” with some homemade goodies to our friends and neighbors, but I love the idea of doing it for complete strangers!
Hello! I just wanted to say that I love this idea! I found your post on Pinterest and I absolutely plan to do this, can’t wait to start planning what to do each day!
Thank you for posting this!
I am so excited with this idea. I have been looking for something special to do this Christmas and I think this is it. Thank you for posting this.
Thank you for the awesome ideas! Back in High School a friend and I decided to buy a bunch of candy canes and go hand them out at the mall. We would simply hand it to someone and say “Merry Christmas”. I was surprised at how many people turned it down, or were just plain rude about it. I think that sometimes we forget that there is another side to service; we must be willing to accept service in our lives. Sometimes we get so worried about serving, yet we refuse to be served. It has to go both ways! Awesome post, I am going to adapt this to my family for this year. My kids are still a little young, but we can do a lot of this. Thanks for the great post!
This such a great lesson your girls are very lucky.
You are wonderful. Not only for doing these things, but for teaching your children, at a young age, that is is far better to give than to receive. I love your ideas; some have been done by myself and my family already, but plan on ‘borrowing’ some of the others. Thanks for all you do. :)
P.S. Tell your girls Thank you too!
This is SO SO cool!!! I had heard of “24 Days of Giving” where you give something each day to someone anonymously but I like your RACK cards!!! I’m putting my thinking cap on and gonna brainstorm with my guys, ages 14, 11 and 9! Thanks and Merry Christmas!!
I love this idea! Joy’s Hope blog just finished a week long Happy Project with RAK’s that were fabilous. However, I lOVE doing it for Advent. Thanks for sharing. Have you posted the adorable card anywhere to download?
I absolutely love this idea, and can’t wait to start RACKing here in Bucks County, PA!!!!
Can you email what your card said that you handed out to everyone? Lmalmendier@sbcglobal.net
Wow! Just saw your post via Pinterest. What an awesome idea. I’ve been thinking about Christmas for this year and I’m wanting to downscale the commercialism and make it more hand made and personal. I LOVE your idea of passing on the true meaning to people unknown to you. I will be following in your footsteps this year and I believe I will be challenging the people in my life to consider doing the same.
I can.not wait to do this! I am making enough for my bible study group as well as my kids. This is awesome!! Thank you!
I found you through Passionate Penny Pincher and can’t wait to try this out. I’ve been looking for ways to teach my kids more about the real meaning of Christmas. Thank You so much!!
Like Lyndsey above,cCan you email what your card said that you handed out to everyone? Shariltackert@yahoo.com. Thanks!
i recently posted the download and a couple of bonus downloads here: http://www.traciestierjohnson.com/rack-download-edition/
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Thank You so much Tracie for this wonderful idea. I can’t wait to do this with my family for advent. Every year I feel we loose so much about what the real meaning of Christmas is about and with this project I know our children gain so much from it.