R.A.C.K.…

Random Acts of Christmas Kindness.  I found this little idea online and ran with it this Christmas season.  I wanted to find a way to help others and spread a little Christmas cheer.   I also wanted to put a bigger focus on helping others this season instead of getting caught up in all of the “Christmasness” that is all too common.  I brainstormed different ways that Trent and I could help others.  I wanted to keep as much of it in the community as I could.  I created a calendar with something for each day December 1-25. 

By mid December, I hadn’t started my Christmas shopping and I didn’t care.  I was so excited every time I got to check a R.A.C.K. off of my list.  If Trent wasn’t there I would call or text him almost immediately to tell him about it.  What was even better were the few times when I got to see the pure joy of someone who had just been “RACKed!” 

I got a few pictures throughout the month...

Gloves to keep little hands warm...

At school we have a giving tree where the kids bring canned goods for the food pantry.  I promised them I would match whatever they brought.  92 items later, our class total was 184!

I also enlisted the help of my students for another project.  They made cards and we put together a care package to send to a unit serving in Afghanistan.  A few goodies to help make their Christmas a little more merry and bright. 

Trent and I spent a Friday night ringing the bells for the Salvation Army. 

I also put together a couple of gifts for toys for tots in town. 

I didn’t want to forget the local nursing home so I called to get a couple of gift ideas for the residents and put together a couple of packages for them.

I didn’t get pictures of everything throughout the month.   Some of my favorite ones were when we played Secret Santa and anonymously completed a RACK.   A couple of other ones worth mentioning are making dinner for about 15 football players during finals week, buying coffee for the car behind me at Starbucks and delivering Christmas cookies to some of our neighbors. 

I think I may have started a new tradition in the Laune household.  Even better...it was contagious!  My mom and Jamie both had their own RACKs.  I was so proud of them :) 

{The Launes}