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10 Ways for Kids to Spread Cheer Throughout the Year #BeTheCheer

You know what song’s been in my head lately? I think I picked it up at the mall the other day.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year
With the kids jingle belling
And everyone telling you, “Be of good cheer”
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

The holidays really are the perfect time to be of good cheer! Everyone just seems happier, and those extra big smiles, time with family, and my kids’ anticipation make it extra special for me too. It’s natural for us to want to pass those good feelings along. Couldn’t we all use a little more cheer?

It may not seem like much to you or me, but even the smallest gesture can mean a lot to someone else. With that in mind, here are ten ways for kids to spread some cheer during the holidays and beyond.

1. Make some holiday decorations for the house or the tree.

Kids love making crafts, and mine are no different. Anything with glue or paint or scissors? Bring it on! These upcycled wrapping paper ornaments are easy enough for even toddlers to make, and snowman handprint ornaments are a lovely way to immortalize those little fingers. If you have some popsicle sticks, maybe a Rudolph ornament or a button Christmas tree for your big Christmas tree?

 

2. Donate to your local food bank or toy drive.

When you’re holiday shopping this year, let the kids pick out some non-perishable food or a toy to donate. It’s a wonderful opportunity for kids to learn that everybody needs a little help sometimes, and having enough to help is a blessing.

Tee’s school is sponsoring three families for Christmas this year, and we brought in a big yellow box of Cheerios to put in their basket. Our sponsored family has a two-year-old son so I know they’ll be going through a lot of Cheerios!

3. Bake some holiday cookies for an elderly neighbour.

Everyone loves Christmas cookies! Make them from scratch or you can always buy a box mix if you’re short on time. If you need a gluten-free cookie recipe, try my gluten-free shortbread cookies!

4. Go Christmas caroling.

Get the family or your local service group together for some old-fashioned caroling fun. If going door to door isn’t practical, consider visiting a local retirement home or long-term care facility to spread some caroling cheer.

5. Cheer on Team Canada with a Cheerios Cheer card!

Let’s spread some cheer to our Canadian athletes heading to Pyeongchang, South Korea this February!

For a limited time, Cheer cards are available across Canada on specially marked boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios, Yellow Box Cheerios, and Multigrain Cheerios, wherever Cheerios are sold. You’ll find two of them actually, one in English and one in French. Just cut out the card, write your message of cheer for a Canadian athlete on the back, and drop it in any Canada Post mail box. The postage is even pre-paid for you!

 

Our Cheer cards will be delivered to an athlete while Team Canada is at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Spread your cheer even further on social media with the hashtag #BeTheCheer!

6. Cheer up a sibling by helping them with their chores.

Fair warning, I’ve been trying to convince my kids to do this one for a long time. Your mileage may vary!

7. Make a greeting card to let someone know you’re thinking of them.

The girls are making their own Christmas cards this year, but they also love making just because cards too. We always have paper, crayons, stamps, stickers, markers, and various other supplies available for impromptu card-making.

 

8. Make friends with the new kid at school and invite them to eat lunch together.

It wasn’t that long ago that my girls were new to their schools, so they remember how good it felt to have another kid reach out and make friends with them.

9. Donate outgrown clothes or toys to a women’s shelter.

It can be hard for kids to give up their belongings, even when they’ve outgrown them. Explaining that these things will go to another child who’s having a hard time helps them develop empathy and feel good about passing their gently used clothes and toys along.

10. Give someone a big hug.

This one is my personal favourite. A hug spreads cheer anytime and anywhere! It costs nothing to give, but it means so much.


How do you and your family spread cheer this holiday season?

 

Disclosure: I partnered with YMC and Cheerios and received compensation for this post. Nevertheless, all opinions expressed are completely honest and my own. Your experience may differ.

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4 Comments

  • I found out about the cheer cards during a twitter party the other week so my daughters and I went and bought a box of cheerios and sent out cheer card to Team Canada 🙂

  • This is such a great post, there is so much more about Christmas..Christmas is not all about toys and getting, it’s about family and loved ones and helping others!! Christmas sure isn’t what it used to be back in the 70’s!!

  • Great ideas! We volunteer at different places once a week from mid-November to the end of December. We also bake cookies for family and friends who are too busy, sick, or unable to; I also bake huge batches for the homeless shelter and the women’s shelter.