This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Capital One for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
Christmas is such an exciting time for kids (and adults) It’s easy to get swept up in wish list writing and countdown calendars. I want M and M to think about all the things they hope to do and receive this Christmas. I want them to be excited about the idea of Santa bringing a new toy and eagerly await driving around to look at Christmas lights. But that’s not all I want for them.
I want for them to think of others too. I want them buy (or make) gifts for the people that they love. I want them to consider what other people want and need. I want to talk about how we can help make those wishes happen for others.
Today we had a quiet moment to really think about other people. This thoughtfulness activity was as simple as it could be…. but the message was received.
A Wish for Others: Simple Thoughtfulness Activity
What you need: paper, pens, a small basket or bowl, a few minutes of relaxed time.
I didn’t want to add too much instruction to this activity. The kids tend to take things way beyond where I expect when I give them the space to get creative. I simply laid out a few small papers and pens next to a Christmas basket. I asked M and M to write what they wished for others.
Before I even had a chance to say anything more, they were writing away. I had to take a minute to realized just how lucky I am. These types of activities are fun and a great way to get us talking, but the message is there all year. It’s clear that both M and M are always thinking of others.
We’ll leave the basket out for a while and before I’ll probably write dates and names on a few to hold onto as keepsakes. I can’t wait to read all the wonderful wishes this basket will hold.
A Wish for Others
Capital One wants you to join in the fun of giving this holiday season. Instead of asking people to share what they wish for, they are asking people to share their wish for others. What a neat idea! The wish can be for anyone else; a family member, a friend, a neighbor, or an entire community.
From Nov. 24 through Dec. 23 Capital One will be watching Twitter, Instagram, and the Capital One Facebook page for the #WishForOthers hash tag. One lucky winner will have the chance to make that dream come true.
Are you wondering what to submit yourself? Check out the the wishes that have been submitted so far at Wish For Others (You can also get more information on submission guidelines.) It’s fun to read through and listen to all of the great wishes. They range from very simple to HUGE!
Our wish for others is simple and you can see our in the video below.
Oh my goodness , I wish I knew that this contest was going on. I am a teacher in an inner city school in worcester mass. I recently started a food pantry in my school after a little boy asked me if he could stay in school over the weekend. When I asked him why he wanted to do that, he told me that he had no food at his house and he would not eat again until he was back in school on Monday. After some research , I found that we have at least 35 families in our school who are in the same situation. so I started this pantry where staff members donate non perishable foods to my pantry that I pack in backpacks and send home to our students. This way they have backpacks full of food that they can have over the weekend. They return the empty backpack to me on Monday and I fill them again for the following weekend. MY fear is that I might run out of food before the end of school. Maybe if I knew about this contest before it ended I might have won some money to perchase items for the pantry! So sad!
Thank you for letting me post
Kathy
Kiritsyk@yahoo.com