3 Easy Ideas for Spreading Joy — To Yourself and Others — This Christmas

The holiday season is about more than just shopping for gifts. It's also an ideal time to give back to the community. Small acts of charity are good for the soul, especially during the holidays. Since this time of year can be stressful for people, reaching out to help will be particularly appreciated. As a bonus, giving back will make you feel good too: Random acts of kindness are known to boost our feelings of positivity and gratitude. With the holidays getting closer every day, it's a great opportunity to take a moment to think about how you can help brighten someone's day — and you don't even need to leave the house to do it! We've gathered three simple actions that are sure to have a positive impact.

1. Call a senior citizen.

Spend a few minutes dialing up holly-jolly joy by calling a senior citizen. Visit Covia.org, click “Programs,” then “Social Call” to sign up as a volunteer to be matched with an older adult. Grow a relationship, chat about holiday traditions, and trade stories to make the season even brighter.

2. Grant a foster child's holiday wish.

Make Christmas special for a foster child by logging on to SantaCAN.org, clicking “Buy & Send a Gift” and browsing through requested gifts. Click on the wish you’d like to grant, from a puzzle to art supplies to action figures. Then buy and ship it to the address provided to make a wish come true.

3. Pay someone’s layaway.

Around the holidays, many families put gifts on layaway to pay later. To free them from financial worry and bring surprise cheer, visit PayAway.org and click “Donate” to give one time or set up a monthly donation of any amount you’d like. It’s a fast and easy way to make a difference.

This article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman's World.