Spreading Holiday Cheer with some #WarmWishes!

We’re coming up to my favourite time of the year!  Regardless of what holiday you are celebrating, I hope it is a wonderful and special time for you and your loved ones!  Whether it be Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or any other celebration, the sentiment is the same – Good will to all and spreading holiday cheer with lots of warm wishes to all we encounter.

Though helping others throughout the year is important, it seems many people are reminded more so during the holidays.

One year, we helped a friend make over thirty care packages for parents who had babies in the NICU.  We stayed up all night and painted awesome frames, hand-made with love for baby girls and boys in the Sick Kids NICU in Toronto, Ontario.  We also included other goodies and essentials in these care packages.  Basically, we just put together care packages to help make things easier for parents with sick babies in the NICU.  We included tooth brushes, toothpaste, crossword puzzles, pens, note pads, etc.

There are so many other little things we can do to spread holiday cheer.  When it comes to spreading holiday cheer, sometimes the tiniest gestures mean the most.

5 Ways to Spread Holiday Cheer

1. Shovel a neighbour’s driveway or walkway.  Do you have any kids who would love to help out a neighbour?  Teach them while they’re young that it’s important to help others and that by doing so it fosters a sense of community.
2. Donate non-perishable goods to your local food bank.  When you’re out doing groceries, why not pick up a few extra canned goods or dry goods for those in need?
3. Prepare freezer meals for a family who needs extra support.  Perhaps a friend or neighbour had an accident or family emergency. Sometimes a freezer meal can make things a bit easier for the family so they can focus on other priorities.
4. Gather all your kids’ used clothing, boots, hats, mitts and toys that they no longer need and dontate them!  There are plenty of kids who are in need of warm Winter clothing and boots!
5. Pay it forward by paying for someone else’s order at Tim Hortons.   Last year, my then six year old daughter and I surprised several Tim Hortons customers by randomly paying for their orders.  Little One got to experience the gift of giving and how it feels to make someone’s day.

To help get into the spirit of spreading warmth in your community this holiday season, participate in the #WarmWishes social media contest and you could win one of five prizes of $5000 for a charity of your choice. How amazing is that?

It’s the second annual Tim Hortons #WarmWishes campaign and you can help spread #WarmWishes!

Share your good deeds with Tim Hortons on Twitter or Instagram using both #WarmWishes and @TimHortons in your post.

Every time you share a good deed you will be entered for a chance to win one of five prizes of $5,000 for a charity of your choice.*

Each week of the contest we will randomly draw a qualifying social post. The more good deeds you post, the more chances you will have to win! Use the themes below for inspiration.

The campaign will last six weeks, and they’ll have a new theme each week encouraging Canadians to do a good deed in the spirit of the theme. The themes are:

• Give a little warmth (Monday, November 16)
• Connect with Someone (Monday, November 23)
• Brighten Someone’s Day (Monday, November 30)
• Lend a Helping Hand (Monday, December 7)
• Spread Cheer (Monday, December 14)
• Give Back (Monday, December 21)

Each week, a random #WarmWishes participant will be rewarded the opportunity to donate five thousand dollars to the charity of their choice to help spread even more #WarmWishes. 5 in total!

For complete rules and regulations, visit contest rules.

Tell me how you spread #WarmWishes!

If any of my Life on Manitoulin fans tweet or post on Instagram with the #WarmWishes hashtag and come back here posting the link, they will be entered to win a $25 eCard for Tim Hortons (weekly). Unlimited entries, and open to residents of Canada only.

I have six Tim Hortons $25 eCards in total to giveaway. Make sure to come back often and share how you’ll be spreading holiday cheer!  Make sure you include your #WarmWishes links in the comments section!

Disclosure – I am a Tim Hortons #timfluencer.  As part of this influencer program, I receive special perks for my involvement and participation.  As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are honest and my own.