I was so inspired last Tuesday when Stay Wild posted this:
Instead of a staff Christmas party, Leah Langlois, the owner of Stay Wild, opted to give each staff member $100 to Pay It Forward, in any way they see fit – be that buying 20 strangers a coffee or donating to a cause that’s close to their hards.
“Christmas can be a hard time of year for some people,” wrote Leah, “so hopefully we’re able to have a positive impact—however small—on the community around us. We are lucky to have such a close community that rallies together and leads from the heart. ”
I couldn’t stop thinking about this… thinking about the typical Christmas expenses – bottle of wine to take to the party, secret Santa gift for the work party, new frock, whatever… and wondered, what if we thought bigger, what if we released our wishes for a merry Christmas out into the world. No strings attached.
There are a few lovely invitations floating around right now, that might provide a way of having an impact in the community and beyond, initiated by and for local families. You could donate a gift card to kids who will be spending their Christmas at the BC Children’s Hospital through Super Ty’s 5th annual Toy Drive. You could contribute to the GoFundMe to offer a little bit of support and a fierce wave of love to Kevin Damaskie and his family. You could make a contribution to the Christmas Hamper program for families and seniors, being put together by Sea to Sky Community Services. Or contribute to the Food Bank that supports your community.
There are other spontaneous secret Santa and Ninja projects sprouting up. I guess the point of this all is to say, as Leah pointed out, this can be a tough time of year for people, and it’s already been a tough year. Little gestures of care go a long way. It’s a good reminder to reach out, when you might be inclined to hunker down.
The Wellness Almanac 