It’s one of those stereotypes that holds true: the Canadian winter can be long and dark. What better way to brighten the darkest days of winter than by celebrating random acts of kindness? To honour the holidays and combat winter gloom, CharityVillage® is running a Twitter campaign designed to bring smiles to communities everywhere. Everyday in December, we’re tweeting ideas for small gestures that can give a world of happiness to a friend, neighbour, or complete stranger. Each tweet is marked with the #spiritofgiving hashtag, making it easy for you to follow the conversation.

Here’s a roundup of some of our top tweets so far:

  • When getting a coffee, buy one for the person behind you in line. #spiritofgiving
  • When hosting a holiday party, ask guests to bring a toy or food donation for a local community agency. #spiritofgiving
  • Smile and say hello to people as you walk down the street. #spiritofgiving
  • When parking on the street, put a quarter in the meter in front of or behind you. #spiritofgiving
  • Help homeless animals stay warm donate old towels and blankets to your local animal shelter. #spiritofgiving
  • Every day this month, hold the door for others behind you. #spiritofgiving

In addition to spreading the word by retweeting our suggestions, other Twitter users are sending out their own #spiritofgiving tweets. Here are just a few:

@GuelphCF: “Connect with seniors in your community. Visit senior centres or nursing homes this holiday season! #spiritofgiving #Guelph”

@becca_bytheway: “Just watched someone pay for someone else’s bus fair. #spiritofgiving”

@FriendshipBook: “Give the present of time and volunteer. #spiritofgiving”

@matthewcutler: “Shopping for gloves / hats / scarfs? Grab an extra pair for a refugee’s first winter in Canada – #feelslikehome @The519”

@smile_4once: “Seeing little kids donate their old toys, to other kids. #spiritofgiving :)”

@smile_kid13: “Making PB&J for the homeless Tuesday and caroling to senior citizens on the 21st 😀 #SpiritofGiving”

@LTNOttawa: “Want to avoid crowded malls? Why not make a charitable donation on behalf of someone…give the gift that gives back 🙂 #spiritofgiving”

Want to share your own ideas for random acts of kindness to spread cheer throughout your community? Connect with us on Twitter (@CharityVillage) and follow the #spiritofgiving conversation. We’ll be tweeting right up until December 31 — join us in spreading some warmth and cheer!