The holiday season should be the most wonderful time of the year. That is, according to Christmas carols. But the season also comes with it’s own kind of stress and sadness. To lift the spirits of those who know the season’s pain all to well, try some of these ways to pay it forward.

Donating food
While opening the cupboard and pulling out a snack can simply be routine for you, it may be virtually impossible for the person next to you in class. Filling a bag on your normal grocery trip and dropping it off to a local food pantry could make all the difference for a family.

Clear the snow off of the car next to yours
While this has been an off year for the snow in Michigan, (though not an unwelcomed change) it is bound to come soon enough. One of the worst things is walking out into the bitter cold and instead of crawling into the cover of a car, having to brush it off so you don’t feel trapped in a metal igloo. Take the sacrifice for someone else and freeze off your fingers for the sake of someone’s happiness.

Send thank you notes to people (teachers, parents, coaches, etc)
While the people you love or admire may know that you appreciate them, a reminder is always welcomed. Anonymous or not, a little confidence booster is guaranteed to make someones day.

Buy a treat for someone for  no reason at all
If you want something a little more than a note, stop by Meijer and grab a bouquet of festive flowers or their favorite candy. Not many people will go splurge on themselves for no reason, so do it for them.

Preform random acts of kindness
In general, it doesn’t take much to make someones holidays a little more merry. All of these ideas are simple things, but there are so many more out there. A random act of kindness can be done for anyone, at anytime, on any scale. While the ones that get the publicity are paying off layaway bills, picking up the grocery tab or donating big ticket items, bigger isn’t always better.

For more ideas on what to do:
check out randomactsofkindness.org