The holidays are just around the corner — and there is no better way to get into the holiday spirit than by spreading a little bit of goodwill.
So in between hurriedly planning festivities, buying gifts, and excitedly looking forward to family get-togethers, take a few moments, if you can, to spread some joy. One of the most important (and rewarding) things about the holidays is trying to make someone else happy too.
Here are just a few ideas for how to spread kindness and empathy this holiday season:
1. Without being asked, do a chore or favor for a family member to help make their day a little bit easier.
2. Say "hi" to your neighbors — or if you don’t know them, knock on their door and introduce yourself! (It’s about time!)
3. Don’t forget to hold the door open for the person behind you.
All images via iStock.
4. Planning to bake some holiday cookies this year? Make an extra batch and donate it to the local nursing home.
5. Get in the holiday spirit and participate (without eye rolls) in events that your family or colleagues are organizing, like the ugly sweater contest or bake-off, even if you think it’s silly.
6. Do you know someone spending the holidays alone? Invite them over to celebrate with you.
7. Let someone else eat that last slice of pie.
8. Find a fun project or cause that you believe in, and volunteer your time. Websites like Volunteermatch.org can help you find a local place to donate your time.
9. Tip a little bit extra to the barista or waiter who has to work over the holidays.
10. Invite a friend you haven’t seen in a while out for coffee or lunch.
11. Pick up litter on the sidewalk that you come across while you walk the dog or go for a stroll in the park.
12. Send a card to a family member or friend you won’t get to see this holiday.
13. Donate some frequent flyer miles that you aren’t using to a charity.
14. Pick up a few extra items — like canned goods or pantry staples — when buying groceries and donate them to your local food bank. Even better? If you have a little extra cash, donate directly to a food bank.
15. Offer to babysit for free for a friend or family member so they can have a night out.
16. Animal shelters can get busy during the holidays, so foster (or adopt if you can) a cat or dog.
17. Pay for a stranger’s cup of coffee, bus fare, or even a cart full of groceries.
18. If you're buying a snack at the vending machine, why not pre-pay for an item for the person behind you?
19. Spread some cheer at work by bringing a little snack for your co-workers.
20. Try to have an open mind: read a book or article written from a different perspective, or listen respectfully (and without judging) to someone that has a different opinion than you do.
21. Buy a toy and give it to the local toy drive.
22. Clean out your closet and donate warm clothes, coats, and shoes to an org that helps people who are homeless.
23. Collect used books from friends and family to give to a school, local library, or shelter. Or create a Little Free Library.
24. Remember to send thank-you notes this season.
25. Let people merge in during traffic.
26. Walk the shopping cart back to the front of the store.
27. Give a sincere compliment to a friend or loved one.
28. Set aside a little money for a charity or two that you support.
29. Do something nice for your partner or a family member to let them know you love them, like letting them watch “their” show or doing the dishes for them.
Most importantly, keep others in mind because not only will it help make someone else's holiday better, but it will also enrich yours as well.
One simple act of kindness might just turn someone's whole day around.
Nailed it. 
Watch out, she knows karate!
Mom hugging crying daughter
Dad kissing child on cheek
Mom comforting daughter
Lucille Ball was a massive star, but perhaps best known for the show 'I Love Lucy'By CBS Television - Public Domain
Do you think its better to have a 'living room family' or a 'bedroom family'?
Where you spend time says a lot about your family.
A family having fun together in the living room.
TikTok user alexxx1915 recently posted a short video with the caption: "I just learned the term 'living room family' and I never understood why my kids never played in their rooms when I always did as a kid." She briefly shows her kids hanging out in the living room with their pet dog and some toys scattered around the floor, before panning to her own face and giving a sort of sentimental look. The simple, ten-second clip struck a huge nerve with parents, racking up over 25 million views and thousands of heartfelt comments.
What are "living room families" and "bedroom families"?
This idea has been going around for a while on social media.
Simply put, a living room family is a family that congregates in the living room, or any common space in the household. Kids play in the same space where the adults relax — and things are often messy, as a result. Everyone interacts with each other and spends lots of time together. Bedrooms are reserved mostly for sleeping and dressing.
A bedroom family, on the other hand, is where the kids spend more time in their rooms. They play there, watch TV, and maybe even eat meals. Typically, the main rooms of the house are kept neat and tidy — you won't find a lot of toys scattered about — and family time spent together is more structured and planned ahead rather than casual.
"Living room families" has become the latest aspirational term on TikTok. Everyone wants to be a living room family!
The implication of being a bedroom family, or having 'room kids', is that perhaps they don't feel safe or comfortable or even allowed to take up room in the rest of the house, or to be around the adults. "I remember my brother coming round once and he just sat in silence while watching my kids play in the living room. After a while he looked at me and said 'It's so nice that your kids want to be around you'" one commenter said on alexxx1915's video.
"I thought my kids hated their rooms 🥺 turns out they like me more" said another. "You broke a generational curse. Good job mama!" said yet another.
There's so much that's great about having a family that lives out in the open — especially if you were raised feeling like you had to hide in your room.
In my household, we're definitely a living room family. We're around each other constantly, and the house is often a mess because of it. Learning about this term makes me feel a little better that my kids want to be around us and feel comfortable enough to get their 'play mess' all over the living room.
The mess is a sign of the love and comfort we all share together.
But the big twist is that it's also perfectly fine if your kids — and you! — like a little more solitary time.
Being a 'bedroom family' is actually perfectly OK.
There's a similar discourse that took place last year about living room parents vs bedroom parents. The general consensus seemed to be that it was better to be a living room parent, who relaxed out in the open versus taking alone time behind closed doors.
But it really doesn't have to be one or the other, and neither is necessarily better. Making your kids feel relegated to their room is, obviously, not great. It's not a good thing if they feel like they're not allowed to exist in and play in the rest of the house. But if they just like hanging out in their room? Nothing wrong with that at all! And same goes for parents.
Alone time is important for parents and kids alike, and everyone needs different amounts of it to thrive. Kids with certain special needs, like being on the autism spectrum, may be absolutely thrilled to spend lots of time in their rooms, for example.
In 2023, there was a similar debate on TikTok where parents sounded off on whether they were bedroom parents or living room parents. In this situation, the parents spent the majority of the time in their bedroom, while the kids were in the living room, or they spend time in the living room with their kids. According to Marissa Kile, the video's creator, this made the parents' bedroom feel like a "scared space" where the kids didn't feel comfortable.
This article originally appeared last year.