One of my favourite Christmas songs I’d love to sing as a child was “Christmas is a time to Love”.

I remember singing it at school in the choir and in sunday school at church and I’ve often heard it sung at end of year school concerts. I get teary when I hear it because of the melody and the memories associated with singing it as a child.

The lyrics of the song reminded me as a little girl that Christmas was more about the presence of family members and friends rather than the presents under the tree.

The words are:

Christmas is a time
Christmas is a time
Christmas is a time to love.

Christmas is a time
Christmas is a time
Christmas is a time to love.

We often start to worry
And people get upset
If things don’t go alright on Christmas day.
What we should remember
In all the push and shove
Is Christmas is a time to love.

Christmas is a time for loved ones to gather and celebrate. It’s a time to make memories and to show and tell people how much they mean to you.

But for some families, Christmas can be a painful reminder of the people missing from their lives due to relationship breakdown, health challenges and/or death.

I’m always mindful that no matter what I’ve gone through, some other families have most probably gone through something worse or a different challenge that may have dampened their Christmas spirit.

Receiving love at Christmas is wonderful, but giving it to others is so gratifying. Sometimes we need to look up from our to-do list and bless a family with no expectation of reciprocation.

If you want to spread some love and cheer this Christmas, here are 25 ways to do it. Kindness is the new trend for 2017 but let’s end this year on a high with an intention to make others feel loved this season.

25 Ways to Spread Kindness this Christmas

1. Be less grumpy and more happy to customer service workers.

2. If you leave a shopping centre and see a car circling around to find a carpark, why not wave them down to follow you so they can have yours.

3. Trolley bays can be hard to find. If you see a lonely trolley take it into the shopping centre to use yourself or why not offer to take a trolley off someone who is leaving the shopping centre?

4. Offer to help a mum or dad unload their trolley if they have young kids that need to be strapped into the car. (I had two older ladies do this for me and I was so thankful for their offer)

5. Donate to the Kmart Wishing Tree.

6. Donate to The Smith Family. There are also opportunities to volunteer your time to assist with packing and deliveries.

7. Donate Blood.

8. Fill a bag and donate food items and toys to Stuff the Bus which provides presents to parents who are unable to afford Christmas, so they can give gifts they can wrap to give to their children with dignity.

9. Buy an ethical gift which gives funds to a third world country. Think World Vision, Oxfam and Compassion.

10. Extend an invitation to friends and family who have nowhere to go on Christmas Day.

11. Deliver a baked Christmas Lunch/Dinner to a family who are doing it tough financially or have a sick family member. Or just because.

12. Mow a neighbour’s front lawn.

13. Buy someone their cup of coffee when ordering at a café or drive-thru.

14. Visit a nursing home and wish the elderly a Merry Christmas. (check with nursing home before arriving on their doorstep)

15. Offer a single parent respite by offering to look after their kids for a couple of hours so they can get some ‘me time’. (Or any parent for that matter)

16. Drive an elderly person to view the Christmas lights.

17. Send a handwritten card or letter to a friend or family member you appreciate.

18. Hide a gift card in a popular library book.

19. Pay for someone’s meal out.

20. Offer to decorate someone’s home or Christmas tree if they are ill or unable to manage themselves.

21. Thank workers who work at this busy time of year with a tip.

22. Donate to your favourite charity. Right now families in Aleppo are suffering. Check out this post for a list of organisations who are on the ground to help these families.

23. Care for someone’s pet while they head on holidays.

24. If you run a business and offer a service, gift a free service.

25. Smile at anyone you see and meet. Smile’s are free and can change someone’s day instantly.

I’m sure there are plenty of other ways to spread kindness to others this Christmas. How do you offer kindness to others this Christmas? What charities or volunteer organisations need a shout out for our support this season?