Did you read all of the wonderful things that people are doing while out and about this season? I love how you’re all reaching out and finding ways to make someone’s day! If you’ve found some kind act to do since last week’s post, please post it in a comment below and we’ll draw a winner next week. (Note – we’ll have one more Random Acts Contest next Monday, so keep watching for opportunities around you.) The randomly drawn winner of last week’s contest is Jenny from MO, who won a $50 Loopy Ewe Gift Certificate. (Yes, we also up the certificate amount for these Random Acts contests, just for fun!)
This weekend, we did our holiday baking. One of my random acts this week was to put together trays of cookies and treats for neighbors. We have several elderly couples on our street who probably don’t do much baking during the holidays, so this is a fun way to share our baking with them. These Oreo Truffles are amazing. I think everyone and their brother made them last year, but I didn’t see the recipe until this year. If you haven’t made them, here is the recipe:
Oreo Truffles
1 package of Oreos
1/2 package of cream cheese (about 4 oz.)
white melting chocolate
Put the whole pack of Oreos into a food processor and process until it’s all dark crumbs. Add the cream cheese and mix until well blended. Scoop out bite-sized pieces and roll into a ball. Place on a cookie sheet in the fridge for 15 minutes. Dip the balls into melted white chocolate and let them harden on waxed paper.
Note – I tried this with the mint oreos, too. While the taste was good, I had to use two packs of Mint Oreos to one package of cream cheesse, due to the peppermint oil in the flavoring. Not sure I’d make those again.
The cookies in the photo are made with our favorite sugar cookie cutout recipe. We make these for two or three different holidays per year.
Sheri determinedtofinishthenever-ending-scarfbyWednesday’sblogpost
Merry Christmas to you, Sheri, and all the elves. Hope 2010 is good to all of you.
I held doors for people whenever we went out and helped people in walkers to navigate around. : )
And I sent out some surprise knitting goodies to some very nice people I’ve met through Ravelry.
It truly is better to give.
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Beyond holding doors, I didn’t get out this week, so didn’t have an opportunity to do anything.
This week I shoveled the walk for three neighbors, one of whom is an old lady and the other who was out of town.
Joyous solstice!
I ordered a birthday cake and will be delivering it later in the week along with some Christmas treats when I visit my 99 year old Uncle Jim. Yes, he’s a Christmas baby, born on Christmas Day 1910! Happy Birthday Jim!
I contacted someone from my book group who has a disabled teenage son at home and needs more than most of us to get out of the house. This is a tough time of year for her on several fronts, but she’s mentioned at book group meetings how important it is for her to get out. I changed my Christmas Eve day plans and invited her to have lunch, visit some museums, see some decorations, etc. The people I was planning to see understand completely and we’ve made plans for after the holiday.
I am doing simple things–letting people in line ahead of me when checking out at the grocery store. Not a big thing but I hope it helps someone relax just a little.
I feel like my acts are repetitive, but hopefully well received. We went out to dinner this weekend at our favorite Mexican restaurant, and they were crazy busy, and the kitchen was messing up every order. In spite of that, our server was proactive, told us up front that it might take 20 minutes to get our food, and was doing her best to make everyone happy. We left her a 100% tip, and made sure that we told her in person that we appreciated her and that she was doing a great job. I think she appreciated the kind words more than the money. š
I was able to take my elderly neighbor (shes 81 this year) christmas shopping. All of her kids were busy & she nolonger drives.
I delivered a hand-knitted gift today at lunchtime to a very appreciative business associate. She has given so much of herself during the past year that I thought it was the very least I could do for her.
I took my 80 yo neighbor with me to get an H1N1 shot. He’s also been testing the holiday baking.
While I was sweeping my driveway and walkway, I went ahead and did my neighbor’s driveway too.
I assisted in the organization of a silent auction for a girl in our knitting group in need and raised over $700. Blessed is the generosity of knitters!
I helped my neighbor shovel his driveway, then I did mine. Now I make brownies for some friend that have taken care of my puppy. Was suppose to go away this past Saturday, snow cancelled that can’t get out before Wednesday or Thurday.
My cohorts at the library and I have been carrying our elderly patron’s books to their cars!
I gave money to our local hospital. My husband gave money to a homeless shelter. We did this instead of buying Christmas presents for each other this year.
I work in a big company, and I can’t afford to buy everyone gifts, but I usually spend some time going through my extensive (and always growing) music collection and burning some music for people to have around the holidays. Then, if people like it the first time I give them one, they get put on the “mixtape list” and I give them a new CD every year; I’ve done this for a few years now, so I have to keep a list of each playlist so I don’t give the same version of the same song twice. I also make batches of cocoa mix and vanilla chai mix and cookie mixes and give them to people I can’t afford to buy for.
I left my neighbor a stuffed penguin just because. (she collects them) She’s originally from out of state and here for school, so she went home for the holidays. While she’s gone my SO and I are taking care of her kitty and making sure she doesn’t get too lonely.
When I was out doing my monthly shopping, I came across a Michael’s and I went in to get beading supplies to send to my grandmothers assisted living home. She is pretty much blind and this is the one thing she loves to do. Keeping them stocked with supplies seemed like the thing to do. She was an amazing knitter, and I know she misses it, beading seams to have taken its place.
those truffles look like they would go right to my hips!
this week for RAK’s:
i made up cookie trays for 3 neighbors as well as a mug with baked goods and holiday tea and left them on doorsteps as a suprise, sent a huge platter of goodies in with hubby to work this monring (plus it keeps them out of my mouth!), i knit a preemie hat as well as fingerless gloves for donations, aside from the salvation army red bucket and the normal things…. i did find out our recent widow will be spending xmas alone (her family will come down the sunday after) so need to speak with hubby about inviting her over. She is fairly private and quiet though so i may just end up bringing her a big plate as i don’t think she will accept the invite.
I was recently the recipient of an act of kindness. It makes such a huge difference at this time of year which can be very difficult. Even the smallest act can mean a lot.
Happy Holidays Sheri, Loopy Elves and knitters!
This week I’ve made a real effort to let people go in front of me in line to check out while I’ve been Christmas shopping. This is a season where a lot of people have a “me first” attitude, and I’m trying to change my own attitude to one of kindness and generosity- even if it’s something as small as not being pushy about being first in line to check out at a store.
I have a friend that is elderly, back about a year ago she was confusing her days. She has a son close by but he does not keep close tabs on her. To help her with her days and make sure someone is checking on her I email her every morning. I put the day of the week and date at the top of every email. I give her brief update at to what my silly dog, or teenage daughter has done that morning or the day before. If I do not get a respond from her by mid afternoon, I start calling her to make sure she is OK. It is not much but she is very appreciative of the fact someone is checking on her. On the weekends I have my teenage daughter email her and let our friend know what is going on her life. While I am helping out an elderly friend I am also teaching my teenager that there is someone out there that looks forward to hearing from her as well.
This is an easy thing to do and does not consume a lot of time but is greatly appreciated by an elderly person.
My next door colleague loves the hot chocolate at our local chocolate shop. She and I went there after work last year just before Christmas. She and I also share some of the same students (some really choice ones) and she will be having knee surgery soon. Santa’s Anonymous Elf gave her a gift certificate to the chocolate shop so she can go for a relaxing cup of cocoa in the near future..
I salted my older neighbor’s driveway and sidewalk so she wouldn’t fall.
I went to work at our sister site so my boss could have a peaceful Saturday night š
I brought cookies for my students to today’s final exam. They definitely made things more festive!
While I sit at my LYS (Unwind in Burbank) it got to thinking about those who love to knit but cannot afford to spend the money this year because of the economy. And if knitting gives these individuals as much joy as it does for me then this needs to be fixed. So I remembered Yarnstorming on Ralvery. So I donated some funds so more donated yarn could be mailed out to people this time of year. I hope this brings a smile to another fiber enthusiast.
I contibuted food items for the food boxes our church is putting together for families who need some help.
I took in Pumpkin muffins for our staff meeting today. They were a no fat recipe and very tasty, everyone really appreciated having a relatively healthy snack this time of year!
I randomly found nearly $40 in the middle of the street while biking home from the train station. I couldn’t give it back to the person who lost it, but I thought the next best thing would be to pass it along to the first charity that I found. So the local animal shelter got a bit more for Christmas =)
And I’ll be puppy sitting for my sister (-such- a chore!) on Wednesday so she can get to work. And, like others, I’m sharing my holiday baking with neighbors.
Happy Holidays everyone!
Snow shoveling … did I mention snow shoveling? Did I mention how fun it is to help random strangers shovel out, especially when everyone is wearing their merry holiday headwear? I am grateful that I CAN shovel … and happy to be of help to those who can’t.
I made cookies for my team at work last week. It was a win-win situation. I got to play with my new KitchenAid mixer (candy apple red…swoon!), and my co workers got to enjoy some yummy treats!
Every year my son’s boy scout troop goes caroling at a local home for developmentally disabled adults. Each scout is asked to bring three wrapped gifts to give to the residents. Suggested items are things like a CD, DVD, etc. This year I got a little carried away with the Jared Flood Noro scarf craze so two of the residents this year got a hand knit scarf instead of the usual store bought gifts. I’m having a really good time sharing “charity” knitting with local people this year.
Haven’t got my baking done yet… probably won’t until after Christmas, but that’s OK with me–yours looks wonderful!
Yesterday, DH and I drove out of town to have dinner at a restaurant with my family. My brother is recovering from surgery and unemployed, my cousin is a (great) teacher who helps in raising her grandkids, my other cousin is raising her grandbaby, my Uncle is 85 years old…anyway, I picked up the check for my entire family–my way of appreciating the kind things that they do for others.
I brought presents to the children of a neighbor across the street. It was more for my neighbor than for the children because the kids were making her a little crazy in the run up to Christmas. I let other drivers from the merge lane get in front of me (even if they didn’t use turn signals). I helped to push a truck out of a snow bank. And I made peace with my sister-in-law (oh, that was a sacrifice!). I helped out some people with projects at the office when normally I wouldn’t be helping them out.
I stole someone’s idea and when I got my drink for Knit Group at Starbucks this week, I gave them a $20 for mine and told them to pay for the next person to come in and then keep the change. Made 3 people’s day a little brighter that way — the next customer and both baristas.
While I was in Walmart on Saturday just before our 20 inches of snow, I was able to get the last wagon available in the parking lot. As I entered the store, a woman with 3 small children was waiting for a wagon so I gave her mine. She was ever so grateful and I felt so good too!
I’m changing my driving habits. As an act of kindness, I’m stopping far enough back to let folks merge in from driveways. I even let in some folks who drove up ahead in the right lane (when the sign said it was closed) then had to merge.
I made an effort to allow people to change lanes in front of me in the grid lock around the mall today and to go ahead of me in check-out lanes. It gave me a surprising sense of having an abundance of time.
I volunteer to teach literacy and I brought my learner homemade cookies and took her on an adventure.
My husband and I started doing odd jobs for friends and neighbors two years ago when my husband did not find work after the plant closed where he worked, and this past week we got a call from a very sweet lady in her 80’s who needed some jobs done at her home as her son-in-laws were too busy. We said sure we can get to these jobs before Christmas, we had done small jobs for her in the past year. She needed new kitchen faucet put in, both bathroom toilet seats fixed and replaced, and some other small jobs that took most of the day to complete. When she asked how much to write the check out for, we said, no charge, Merry Christmas. When we saw the tears in her eyes, that truely made our Christmas Holiday special. Wish we could do no charge jobs all year round!
I decided to take a giant bag of really nice yarn over to the retirement center because I noticed most of the knitters were knitting with acrylic yarn . Bah humbug to that, there’s nothing better than a nice yarn to knit with!
I am not sure this counts as a random act of kindness or not, but this past week I received an order from a small, home based company. When the item was packaged there was an error. One of the items was of the same value, but clearly not what I had ordered. I decided to just let it go. I know the person would make it right if I emailed, but it would be extra work for them right at Christmas time, and what mom needs that?! It would also be an extra cost to them, and nobody needs that at this time of the year either. I can easily live without the item I ordered.
I picked up a Target gift card and dropped it off at a site that is collecting toys and gifts for parents of sick children at the Ronald McDonald House. Turning it in was one of the nicest holiday moments I’ve had. Merry Christmas everyone!
Once again this year, I am tickled to see that your sugar cookies are the same shape as mine – we have the same cookie cutters! š We’ve had them as long as I ca remember – I think they might be older than me. *L*
On the way in to WalMart the other night, there was a lady standing on the corner holding a “will work for food” sign. So I bought a footloong sub in the deli and gave it to her. Of course as a knitter, I wish I had a hat or mittens ready to go to! *L* Once the Christmas knitting is all done I think I might whip up a few articles of warm to keep in the car for a moment like that. Not only is it a kindness, it makes me feel good, and hello stash-busting!! š
I work at an Assisted Living Facitlity..the thing I did this week was to return
some audiobooks back to the Library for one of our residents, but she owed
$2 for them being overdue, (she couldn’t get back) so I also paid her fee. It was
a pleasure to do this for her.
I made 3 small blankets for my local spca to be used for the rescued animals to sleep on. This project is called ” The Snuggles Project” and anyone interested can find more info on the internet
I let a gentleman with just a couple of things ahead of me in the check out line at the grocery store. He turned around and did me a favor by helping unload my cart onto the belt. :0) We got into a nice conversation afterward. Merry Christmas! Those cookies look wonderful!