Random Acts of Christmas Kindness

It is no surprise I have been struggling with the holidays and how to handle them emotionally. When asked how Thanksgiving was this year, I generally replied with "I survived." Because in all honesty, that is the truth. Now November is behind us and December has started full swing, whether I am ready or not. Truth be told, again, I am not ready. I am not ready for Christmas music, decorating, or the hustle and bustle of shopping for Christmas presents. 

With all of that being said, I have an idea that may make Christmas a little easier to handle without Sawyer here. I know that nothing will change the fact that we will be waking up on Christmas morning to the sound of silence , but I am hoping this lifts the burden of pain a little bit. 

My idea: Random Acts of Christmas Kindness, in memory of Sawyer.

I have done a lot of research on how to survive the first year after losing a baby. I ran across a blog in which a mother encouraged other moms who have lost babies to share how they 'survived' Christmas, in hopes of encouraging others who are just at a loss, like me. One of the stories came from a mother who lost her son, Noah when he was 5 1/2 months old. The first Christmas they didn't do anything but try to make it through, but the second Christmas she came up with the Random Acts of Christmas Kindness (RACK) idea. She encouraged her friends and family to do things in her son's memory and then email them to her. She promised not to read them, and simply printed them out and placed them in his stocking to read Christmas morning. 

I think this is a great idea! People will be sharing Sawyer's story (and the way God has been working) and we will wake up to a stocking FULL, hopefully, of envelopes to open on Christmas morning. It won't change the fact that I really wish I had Sawyer here this coming Christmas morning, but it will help my hurting heart that people have been making the world a little bit brighter in his memory! Some people may say that this isn't random since people know it is in memory of Sawyer, but I think it is. These people will be random strangers and will totally be surprised!

So, here is the plan for all willing to participate:

1. I have created this 'card' for you to give to whoever you decide to randomly bless. You can print this out and take them with you when you go out and about.

RACK card (printable!)

 

2. Once you have "RACK'ed" someone, send an email to rememberingSawyer@gmail.com. I am going to have my mom print these off and seal them in envelopes, that way we won't know what has been done until Christmas morning!

3. Check back the week after Christmas for the stories of how God is working through the Random Acts of Christmas Kindness, I am sure there will be lots!

I am working on making mine cute :)

Need ideas? (Make sure to hand out the card!)
 - Pay for the person behind you in the drive-thru line.
 - Tape quarters to a vending machine.
 - Take breakfast to your local firehouse.
 - Donate canned goods to a local food bank.
 - Donate food/newspaper/towels to your local animal shelter.
 - Take your neighbors trash can back up their driveway.
 - Give an 'extra' tip at the restaurant.
 - Buy a co-worker their favorite cup of coffee.
 - Leave treats on your neighbors porches.
 - Leave flowers on someone's car in the parking lot.
 - Take the 'mall Santa' a Starbuck's gift card.
 - Leave a gas gift-card on a car.
 - Send a gift to your child's teacher.
 - Leave money in a book at the library.
 - Donate to your local children's hospital.
 - Leave dollars in the kids section at the dollar store.
 - Leave a free promo code on a redbox machine.
 - Make a cup of hot chocolate for your mailman.

Do you have some ideas? Be sure to leave them in the comments for others!

I have given a list of 18 ideas to represent the 18 days we had with Sawyer. You can do one, or all of them, however you feel led. I am hoping that the response to this will be overwhelming and Sawyer's stocking will be overflowing Christmas morning. Things like this always make my heart happy, and I know it is a blessing to the recipient. 

I have some printed out and ready to go! If you have any questions, or need some printed for you PLEASE let me know! Don't forget to share and email us :) Take a picture if you can! I am also working on a blog post detailing Sawyer's story so that those who visit our blog will be able to read it in one post.

Josh and I are SO excited about this and I know God is going to be working through us and all of you these next few weeks. I cannot wait for my blog post after Christmas!

With love,
Ashlyn