Bless someone with a random act of kindness this Christmas

The festive season is here, and it is almost like everywhere you turn, you see something that says: “We are happy, and we have joy and we will celebrate”.
This is all well and good if you are one of those who are happy. But if you aren’t, it might make you even less happy than you already are.
If you are not in a place where the festive season is a reason to celebrate, it can be a season of stress and anxiety.
For some, the festive season is a reminder that the year is coming to an end, and all the goals that they haven’t achieved that year. For others, it is a reminder that they do not have a family to spend the holidays with, and anyone to exchange Christmas gifts with, even worse if they lost them around this time years ago.
The festive season may also come with feelings of inadequacy if you do not have the financial capacity to create the ‘perfect’ Christmas, and the grand shopping sprees that come with it.
According to a 2016 research by Mind in the UK, one in 10 people (11 per cent) feel unable to cope at this time of the year, a figure which rises to a third of people (31 per cent) with a mental health problem. The research also found that one in six people (17 per cent), feel lonelier at Christmas than any other time of the year, with almost the same number feeling ‘alone in a crowd’ even if they have people around them (16 per cent). Part of the problem appears to be overly high expectations, with more than a quarter of people feeling the pressure to have the ‘perfect’ Christmas (28 per cent).
Although the research was carried out in the UK, these statistics can apply to Uganda, and other people worldwide.
The silver lining in the face of this reality is these people exist in the same communities as those that are excited about the festive season, so we have an opportunity to spread cheer with those around us.
Do you know a friend who doesn’t have Christmas plans, and might be spending it alone? How about you invite them to join you and your family for Christmas lunch? Are there people who have made your life better this year? May be it is the askari who has literally stayed up to make sure you are safe every day for the whole year, or the shop attendant who sells you groceries on credit when times are tough, or that service provider whose customer service you find exceptional? If you think about it, the list could be longer than you imagined.
As you celebrate this festive season, take a moment to give them a ‘thank you’ card, text or phone call, or any other token to show your appreciation for their role in your life.
Whether it is for a stranger, friend or family member, make a deliberate choice to bless someone with a random act of kindness this festive season, and hopefully that act will inspire them to do the same. The cheer cycle could continue to grow this way.
May we all have someone who makes us happy to spend the holidays with.
Merry Christmas to you.
Pearl Gahwera
Head of Communications
40 Days Over 40 Smiles Foundation
@PearlHmmph