17 Days to Christmas
Being nice isn’t difficult. We just forget that sometimes.
There really is something gratifying and fulfilling about knowing you did something for someone with no strings attached. Giving is a gift in itself. We could all do with a bit of kindness in our lives and heaven knows there are a lot of people who are in desperate need of faith in humanity.
Being ‘nice’ may not change the world but it does change the world you find yourself living in.
Here’s a 100 ways to just be Nice
Hear out the telesales person on the other end. It’s their job, not their fault.
Have you read a good book recently? Give your copy to a local library so someone else can enjoy it too.
If you’ve had a good meal at a restaurant, call the chef and let him know personally.
Hand out Good Service cards to waiters, store assistants etc who you’ve seen providing good service (not necessarily to you)
Pack an extra lunch box for a homeless person on your way to work
Give away your sun hat/cap to a street vendor standing in the scorching South African summer sun
Do pro bono work where your skills are required
Mentor someone
Pay a surprise visit to someone you haven’t seen or spoken to in a while
Say a prayer for someone
Help someone with their Christmas shopping
Give a compliment to a stranger
If you’re holidaying in a foreign country, donate your leftover currency to a charity in that country
Spend time asking someone how they are and listening to their story
Do give up your seat for pregnant women and the elderly on public transport
Pay the parking ticket for the person behind you in the queue
Push the garbage bins back to their rightful houses after Pikitup fails to do so
Help an old person cross the road
Give up a parking space for a mother with children that’s close to the entrance of a shopping centre entrance
Buy a street musician a meal so they don’t have to take a ‘lunch break’ and stop earning money
Let someone else go ahead of you in a queue (bank/store)
Be patient when you really need to be.
Give a stranger a flower
Give someone a chance to prove him or herself
Tell someone that they’re worth it
Hold the door open for someone
Visit an old age home even if you don’t have relatives there
Smile at strangers
Coach someone
Visit a Hospice and spend time with a terminally ill patient
Volunteer at a soup kitchen
Spend some time with a senior citizen living alone
Babysit for a single mother
Offer delivery people a cool drink on a hot day
Help a pregnant lady
Pay the difference if someone is short in cash when buying food
Say Thank You to someone for something you really appreciate them doing for you
Donate blood
Be friendly to someone you normally ignore
When you are in the checkout line as see someone with a full trolley, help them unload it.
If you see someone trying to get something on a shelf that is out of reach and you are tall enough to reach it, get it for them.
When you are in the parking lot and see someone putting their groceries in their car, offer to help.
Hold the door for someone.
Tell Sophy (our nanny) that your life just wouldn’t be the same without her [That's for me]
Tape the exact change that is needed for a soda on a soda machine. If you like, add a note, “This one’s on me!”
Listen to someone who needs to talk. Just listen to them.
Leave an inspirational book in a place where you know it will be found (in a park, on the bus, etc.). You can even leave a note telling the reader you hope they enjoy the book and to pass it on to someone else when they are finished.
Do something nice for someone when they are ill like wash their dishes, cook a meal or tidy up their house.
Locate a family that is struggling financially and buy each member several small gifts then have it delivered while you remain anonymous.
Volunteer at a hospital, children’s ward or clinic.
Write a letter, or for younger kids, help them write a letter to someone, telling them how much you appreciate them.
Write a letter to a friend, classmate or co-worker, highlighting their strengths.
Tell someone that they are special.
Take someone on a day outing that needs to get out
Tell someone that you appreciate them.
Do chores at home to help other family members
Read a book to children at the local hospital
Give a homeless person a gift card
Donate needed school supplies to a local school
Return someone else’s shopping cart
Mow the neighbor’s lawn
Sort through your old books and give to others
Buy someone lunch
Buy the person behind you in line a cup of coffee
Take a cooked meal to new parents (and a bottle of wine)
Tape R5 coins on vending machines, parking meters, pay stations etc
Clean up your local park
Remember to tell Daddy that he’s your hero [That's for my kids]
Help paint a local rec centre
Surprise your parents with a random act of kindness
Buy someone dessert at a restaurant (or upsize their meal at McD’s)
Stop a negative conversation and make it positive
Send a gift anonymously to a friend
Slip a flower into your neighbours newspaper in their mailbox
Plant a tree in your neighbourhood
Write something nice about your waitron on the back of the bill.
Forgive some who might have wronged you in the past. Go out of your way to do them a favor.
Help a student with their tuition.
Walk someone’s dog.
Don’t bully your brother [That's for my kids]
Give someone a lift home so that they don’t have to take public transport
Give a lottery ticket to a stranger.
Play a game of cricket or football with some kids during the holidays
Help an illiterate person write a letter to their family
Wave back to children who wave to you
Pick up any litter that you come across
If you have long hair, consider donating some of it after your haircut to make wigs for cancer patients
Do your bit to support and promote local small business
Hire and pay for a taxi to get your friends home safely from your Christmas and year end parties
Buy someone prepaid airtime top-up
Water your neighbours garden if they are away and their flowers look ill
Give someone a break – maybe they just need some time to do an errand, or to gather their thoughts.
Don’t be an asshole even if you’re surrounded by them.
Remember to tell the people you love that you actually do love them.
Give mommy some alone time [that's for my kids ]
Help someone get home to family for the holidays
Everyone has a story, a life lesson. Share yours and help others in similar situations.
Load credits onto someones prepaid electricity metre.
Help someone plant a home fruit and veg garden.
If you’re stranded at an airport on Christmas eve, help arrange an impromptu party for you and everyone else stuck there too.
The main pic is from the Advent Calendar I made this year.
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