Day 17 - There are lots of ways FREE ways to spread holiday cheer!

Hi everyone! You are all doing so great. So great that you have inspired me to get more creative with the last WEEK of the 2014 Merry Movement. Many people have been extremely generous this year and I wanted to think of some FREE ways to spread holiday cheer.

Here are my ideas (some are stolen from our fellow moment makers):

• Caroling (The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear!)
• Clothing Donations (clean out your closet!)
• Leave a holiday note for your mail carrier, garbage man, landscaper etc. 
• Bag someone's groceries at the grocery store 
• Stand and hold the door for a dozen people (anywhere!)
• Clip coupons and leave them on the product for the next customer
• Donate your TIME to volunteer at the organization for your choice
• Give blood to the Red Cross
• Return cans/bottles for a deposit but give the voucher to someone to cash

134. I gave $20 "from Santa" to a teacher I know to buy two students school shirts so they can wear them on school pride day and not feel excluded.

135. A friend picked up things I bought at a store over the phone and delivered them to me so I didn't have to do it alone with my two baby girls.

136. My friend surprised me with coffee when she came to borrow my sewing machine.

137. Brought in holiday treats for my coworkers in a different department.

138. Brought cookies for my basketball team to have on the bus ride.

139. Gave a friend two custom made mugs because I knew she would enjoy them. 

140. Have a coke and a smile. Left quarters in the vending machine for the next person. 

Day 2 - Let's hit the ground running!

8. Bought candy canes and passed them out to coworkers.

9. Gave a friend a bunch of fitness gear to help them get in shape.

10. My two youngest children and I drew pictures and wrote handwritten letters to friends and family near and far. These were not Christmas greetings, rather birthday greetings and thinking of you sentiments. I kept them mindful of the details; which stamp to use, which envelope seal, which media to express themselves with (marker was popular), and even taught the 4-year-old where to put her name in the return address section. It was a delight for all of us.

11. Made supper for a friend who worked a double shift.

12. Surprised a friend at work with coffee.

13. Wrote Christmas cards for soldiers currently serving our country.

14. Donated food to the local food bank.

Day 13 - Happy Friday...you have ALL weekend to make merry moments!

84. Bought the person's coffee behind me in line.

85. Left treats in the employee break room with a "Happy Friday" sign.

86. Left quarters on a vending machine for the next person to find.

87. Cut down a 20 foot Christmas tree, hauled it, set it up, and decorated it for the town that he lives in.

88. Donated his time repairing a fire engine for the local fire department.

89. Bought lunch for a homeless man.

90. Sent an iTunes gift card to a music lover that was having a rough day.

91. Secretly left a chocolate bar at a coworker's desk because it is her favorite. It was also her birthday.

92. Donated to the at 24 Hour Fitness toy drive.

Day 9 - You know a great way to start the week? Make a #merrymoment!

55. Made a monetary donation to help her friend's daughter with her school project at the Oregon Dog Rescue.

56. Brought in hand warmers for her valet friends since the weather has been EXTRA cold.

57. Placed coupons on the corresponding product at the grocery store.

58. Helped clean out a friend's closet earlier this year and saved the scarves to hand out as the weather got colder. She handed out her first one today.

59. Placed dollar saving coupons on items at her local grocery store for customers to use.

60. Brought a pumpkin spice latte to his basketball manager since she was going to be the only manager at practice.

Day 6 - It is snowing here!

40. Spread holiday cheer around the city of Seattle by passing out sausage McMuffins, breakfast burritos, coffees and 15 $5 gift cards.

41. Left a special holiday treat for her wonderful waitress.

42. Found out a friend's favorite cookie so she baked a batch and dropped them off.

43. Donated food to the Oregon Food Drive.

44. Donated lunch meals to two homeless people in the city.

45. Gave a snack to a homeless veteran on the way to work.

Day 5 - Shine bright

31. Delivered clothing to her Soroptimist luncheon to help support children and adolescents.

32. Passed along the Christmas stocking filled with goodies to her coworker.

33. Gifted an app to a friend so she can save money on Portland restaurants!

34. Donated blood! Did you know that one donation can save up to three lives?

35. Handed out all her "secret behavior" bracelets to her students who were exhibiting the "secret behavior," which was kindness.

36. Left $5 in the scratch it lottery machine.

37. Bought and delivered coffee for her coach.

38. Passed along some "hand-me-down" clothing to a friend.

39. Passed along a baby carrier to another friend.

Day 4 - Make someone's day today!

25. Left a full coffee punch card for the patron behind her to use.

26. Passed along the Christmas stocking filled with goodies to her coworker.

27. Tipped my gluten free sandwich maker at Subway today. He made me a fantastically delicious tasting turkey w/all the veggies sandwich.

28. Make a $10 gift card donation to local teens in foster care.

29. Remembered a gift someone liked so bought it on Amazon and had it shipped to her.

30. Went to Facebook's Starbucks page and sent the first four of my friends that popped up as 'liking Starbucks' a gift card for coffee. One of them even sent one back telling me when I have this moment to myself with my coffee to think of her and remember she cares. Just as she will remember I care when she  has her moment.

Day 3 - Be merry

14. Bought the patron behind him a holiday coffee drink.

15. Bought lunch for the lady behind her in the drive thru at Taco Bell.

16. Passed on her surprise stocking, filled with holiday treats, to another coworker.

17. Donated to the Salvation Army.

18. {Baked cookies for the doctors and nurses at urgent care.

19. Her son brought gifts to the Fire station toy drive and then donated some money to the Make a Wish Foundation in preparation for our Wish Upon a WOD fundraiser.

20. I her former husband a text telling him I'm sorry for the role I played in our failed marriage. I've been playing the blame game for a long time. Our thread ended with a mutual desire to be more like friends and less like exes.

21. Donated new children's sweatpants to CARES NW Emergency closet.

22. A young engineering student at my work posted a cute clock he liked on Facebook. Each hour was written with an equation. I ordered it from Amazon and left it at work for him. :)

23. Support the Wounded Warrior Project.

24. A friend of mine learned yesterday that her unborn child has a virus that may cause a host of complications from blindness to stillbirth. She called me in tears because her doctor had called her in to "discuss her options" and she was being pressured by others to terminate the pregnancy. I asked her if she knew for certain that her child was going to be born with any of these disabilities what would she want to do. She said, "Have her." I told her she had her answer. I'd support her any way I can. Today I decorated a pink stocking with baby girl's name on it in anticipation of her first Christmas.

Day 1 - Another season of merry moments!

Hi everyone,

It is our third year of merry moments and I couldn't be more excited. Remember to post a comment on this blog or use the hashtag #merrymoment on Instagram to track photos.

We can't wait for another great month of spreading holiday cheer!

1. I walked into the restroom at my doctor's office to see an unflushed toilet. Quickly discovered it wouldn't flush. Opened the tank, saw the problem, and fixed it. Let them know it was a temp fix and what needed to be done for a more permanent one. She was an embarrassed, but grateful employee.

2. Buy someone at the gym their favorite protein bar after a hard workout.

3. Make a donation to Operation Home Front today which gives toys to children who have parents in the military stationed away from home during the holidays.

4. Empty out all of the change from my wallet and purse and made a donation to YCAP. Donations go towards providing meals for those in need this Christmas.

5. While out running errands I saw a store's banner fly off of their building and across their parking lot towards the highway. I chased it down in the wind and rain and took it back in so that they could re-hang it.

6. Donated a "leaf and lawn" sized bag of warm clothes she collected from my coworkers to the coordinator of the local cold weather shelter.

7. Make a monetary donation to Portland Oregon Humane Society for the incredible work they do!