Shopping Shenanigans

Let’s face it, Christmas shopping can be a bit of a hassle. The stores are crowded, items are flying off of shelves faster than you can claim them, and it’s not easy syncing up your giving spirit with your bank account.

It doesn’t have to be this way, though.

Christmas shopping is one of my all time favorite activities, and I look forward to it all year. I think this is because I embrace the idea that you can find adventure in every nook and cranny of life.

I take my little brother Christmas shopping every year, and every year we have a blast. Whether we’re singing along off key to the car radio, trying on a bunch of wacky articles of clothing, or just enjoying each other’s company, it never feels like a stressful situation to us. Sure, things go wrong and you have to make snap decisions, but we are able to find joy in the chaos.

This year, one of our favorite activities was performing a random act of kindness. I wanted to show my little brother that if you want to see some good in the world, you have to be the one to supply it. We brought a nice, warm cup of hot chocolate to one of the Salvation Army bell ringers. We talked about how they stand out in the cold for hours trying to bring some joy to other people’s lives, and the least we could do is bring them a little joy, too. I am in no way writing this to toot my own horn, and I was hesitant to even include it, but I was hoping to spread a message and inspire someone else to perform a random act of kindness.

Anyway, my point is that it is so crucial to look at tasks that may seem to be a little mundane or a bit of an inconvenience, and decide that you will enjoy yourself and brighten the day for everyone in whatever way you can.

Stay tuned for more holiday blog posts because the season is not over yet.

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful holiday season.