Christmas is all about giving. I know the season is hectic for everyone and there’s always a last minute rush to get things done in time for the break – if you’re lucky enough to have one! However, I wanted to share a few charity appeals and local drives with you. There’s never a wrong time to think of others and I think that’s even more the case during Christmas. It should be a joyful time for everyone but sometimes, it’s not. So here are a few ways to help others in need this Christmas. Your festive random acts of kindness through letter writing, if you will.
Festive Random Acts of Kindness through letters
Doing something selfless for anyone would fall under this category. Perhaps surprising someone with a thoughtful gift or helping them out with the feast they are trying to plan. I have put together a small list of ideas, however, if you wanted to look outside your loved ones and help a stranger in need. These are just some ideas I found or have contributed to in the recent years. I wanted to share them, in case anyone was feeling generous this Christmas! These ideas focus on letter writing but you can definitely give money to one of the cause, if you prefer or make a donation of stationery and stamps.
From Me To You
From Me To You is a brilliant charity that encourages people to write a letter to someone with cancer. The whole idea is to ‘donate a letter’ to let them know that you are thinking of them, and that they are not alone in their fight against it. If you know someone with cancer in person – such as a friend or relative – you are encouraged to write to them.
I have spoken about this charity before, quite a few times. However, I wanted to give it a special mention today as Christmas can be a particularly difficult time for people fighting cancer. Especially so if they have to go to hospital visits over the festive period or are staying there. It’s hard, always but when you’re missing out on being merry with your loved ones, it can be much harder. No one wants to be in hospital, especially not during the holidays. Spend a few minutes this Christmas thinking of someone that could benefit from a smile.
They have also launched their fundraising campaign, to help people get their letters. Right now, they desperately need more funds to make sure that the cards get to people who need it most by Christmas. (They have over 1300 letters that need sending!). For only £10, you can help 12 people get a letter or card this Christmas. You can make a donation through their justgiving campaign, which you can find here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/FromMetoYou
To find out more about From Me To You or get tips on what to write, visit their website: https://www.frommetoyouletters.co.uk/
More Love Letters
The whole concept of More Love Letters is really beautiful. Every month, they share a group of people who are going through something and can use a letter or card to cheer them up. The recipients’ are nominated by their loved ones to receive a bundle of love letters. For the holidays, they released their twelve “days of love letter writing”.
Each day, they released a new recipient who could use a bit of extra love this Christmas. Each person is going through something completely different. It’s not too late to get involved. Have a read of their stories and see if there’s one – or more – that you could write to.
It’s a great way to reach out to someone and let them know that you’re thinking of them. To find out more about More Love Letters, or the twelve recipients, visit their website: http://www.moreloveletters.com/
Kind Words
Now this is not a Christmas specific thing. However, since this is about letter writing, I had to share this. Kind Words is actually a “game”, which is available on Steam. It, essentially, encourages you to write letters to people around the world. You can also request your own. These are real people, with real life stories. So, it’s not really a game, per se. However, it is a great way to send a bit of encouragement to people who need it.
Every week or so since I have gotten it, I spend a few minutes checking the letter requests and replying. The letters are capped at 14 lines so you can’t really write a lot. But it’s a lovely way to let someone know you’re thinking of them, and they are not alone.
You do need a steam account to play it, as far as I know. However, it’s only £3.99 and allows you to send countless letters to people who could do with a smile. If you’re unable to spend too much money on stamps, this game is a great alternative. You can find out more over on the Steam website.