LETS RAISE THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT!!

[Softly Spoken]

I just came from my weekly support group and from what everyone was sharing, there is a lot of stress and unhappiness floating around. I couldn't get over how many people were suffering from family and holiday-related stress. Sharing definitely helps. So I've been thinking...

This has been a hard year. Politics. Economy. Weather. You name it, we seem to have been hit with it. It's dark, it's cold, and people just seem to be grumpy and fed up with 2012.

So in an attempt to light a little spark against the dark, I would like to ask my fellow ehellions to please share any uplifting stories that show the spirit of goodwill has not been snuffed out. Please post your warmest, fuzziest, heart-warming-est, cutest, most surprising and/or funniest moment that reminded you of the true spirit of the holiday season! (Basically, I want to brew a pot of "Chicken Soup for the eHell Soul: Holiday Edition" )

I will start with the story that made me want to start this thread, then add my own:

1) A friend told me that a man she knows from the coffee shop every morning gave her $10 and told her to buy a nice gift for herself.

2) When I was grocery shopping on Thanksgiving, the bagging lady realized that I had to walk home with my (too heavy) bags and told me I could just take the shopping cart and bring it back tomorrow. I brought it back the same day, since I needed even more supplies and I lived so close, but was so grateful to her for saving my back, shoulders, wrists, etc.

Okay, who's next?

[Only me]

Hi

I successfully rehomed one of my dogs. He is absolutely thriving and the owners (they used to take care of him and his sister when I was travelling for work) are thrilled with him and the love they have in the house. Not so thrilled with the fact he's digging up their backyard.

Onlyme

[Avi]

A story I read on facebook:

A NFL player took 12 needy kids on a shopping spree at Toys-R-Us. Spending a total of $19,000. Just to make some kids smile.

http://rev967.com/an-nfl-player-spent-19000-on-a-shopping-spree-for-needy-kids-at-toys-r-us/

[MamaMootz]

My husband just started working for a cosmetics company. I receive an $80.00 per month allowance to spend on whatever I want at their company store. It was doubled this month due to the holidays. I decided rather than spending it on myself, I would buy a bunch of makeup and send it to my friend for her charity. My friend is organizing a charity for people who have been unemployed this past year and cannot afford to give Christmas to their kids. On her list are kids with needs for clothing and toys, but there are also teens on there who are asking for makeup.

I am also baking batches of cookies and putting them in tins,  and handing them out to random strangers, particularly those working in retail or customer service positions this year.

I can't afford to do very much with all the relocations we've been having, but it's important to give to someone since that's what this season is all about.

[Outdoor Girl]

I am also baking batches of cookies and putting them in tins,  and handing them out to random strangers, particularly those working in retail or customer service positions this year.

I like this idea!  I do a lot of baking and give out trays to coworkers, neighbours and my massage therapist.  Never thought about doing this.

[magicdomino]

Someone from a totally different division on a different floor just came by with doughnuts.  I got a chocolate cake doughnut with chocolate frosting.  Sure, it's a little thing, but it made my day.   

[MamaMootz]

I am also baking batches of cookies and putting them in tins,  and handing them out to random strangers, particularly those working in retail or customer service positions this year.

I like this idea!  I do a lot of baking and give out trays to coworkers, neighbours and my massage therapist.  Never thought about doing this.

The post office loves me and actually look forward to getting them....I figure that this time of year, the retail, customer service kind of roles are taking all kinds of abuse from stressed out customers. It really makes people's days brighter and I love doing that.

[Cutenoob]

Along the idea of giving to service/retail workers, I made two batches of fudge, cut them up and took them to the pharmacy. These people know my name, don't need to ask me my birth date..they say Hi when they see me. For all that effort, they got some love back. They told me it was great, but the main pharmacist snagged a few extras from ladies who didn't like the chocolate.
I'm going to make him a double box and see if he'll shush.

[violinp]

I participated in a performance of the Christmas portion of Handel's Messiah. In keeping with the tradition of charitable giving at Messiah concerts (all the performances during Handel's lifetime were benefit concerts), we collected an offering at both performances to help an organization where churches house homeless families and help the adults find jobs.

We collected nearly $7,400.    It makes me happy to know that more homeless families will be helped at this difficult time of the year because of something of which I was a part.

[magicdomino]

This was before Thanksgiving, but I think it counts.

Each year, the U.S. federal government has the Combined Federal Campaign, where they raise money for charity, either by getting individual employees to contribute, or by having fund raisers.  One of my co-workers -- a contractor, not a federal employee -- hosts a luncheon.  She buys all the food, does all the cooking, does a lot of the set-up and clean-up; all proceeds go to the charity of her choice.  Over the last few years, this luncheon has grown from just our office, to the rest of the division, to people from other offices.  This year, Co-worker cooked lunch for around 75, and raised $1,100.

[Hollanda]

I have a sweet one.
 
DH and I took DS to the annual city market and fair.  Whilst there, I decided to take DS on the carousel ride.  The sign said clearly "£2 per rider, including babies and children.  NO EXCEPTIONS." Ok.  I took £4 out of my bag and gave it to the cashier.  He winked at me, gave me £2 back and said "Happy Christmas!" 
 
I don't know what prompted that at all. I thought it was incredibly sweet and kind. It restored my faith that people can be nice just sometimes! 

[trailgrrl]

A local high school was in a class and was asked  "What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?"   All answered with varying items until one classmate replied wistfully "I would drive".   The young lady in question had become gradually blind in recent years.

This is what her classmates did.