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Celebrating Birthdays with a Kindness Twist

I recently just passed a, ah-hem, milestone birthday. I am not a person that loves being the center of attention, but it is just going to happen when you get to the point when you hit the party to celebrate going “over the hill.”

But, instead of shrouding everything with black and mocking my maturity, this birthday celebration turned out to be fantastic because my husband made it more than just about me getting old, er, older. Enter the Kindness TWIST! He invited party-goers to join in on donating supplies and making toys to help a local animal shelter.

Friends and family brought supplies listed on the shelter’s wish list. Many of those supplies were then used to make toys for the cats and dogs in the shelter. Then, the die-hard party-goers came along to donate all the abundance ready to help the community’s abused and neglected cats and dogs.

Did I get celebrated?
Yes!
Was the event even better because
we gathered to make a difference?
YES!

Birthdays with a Kindness Twist:

  • Make the event about celebrating a birthday with kindness and making a difference in the world!
  • Are a great format for parties for adults and for kids!
  • Provide an easy way to involve kids without involving clowns or an expensive venue. How many more presents do kids need on their birthdays? How much money needs to be spent on goody bags or entertainment? None of those things are wrong to do, but what if we took a portion of that money to help another AND celebrate our kids?
  • Take the “What Do You Bring” drama out of the equation. You bring donations for the cause you are helping! (And, removes the “do we open presents” debate. Donations don’t need to be wrapped and are for someone else.)
  • Create long lasting memories for families and friends. Experiences of sharing kindness and serving others are long-lasting and meaningful!

Note: A family member was unable to make the trip to the party. So, he made a donation in my name to his local animal shelter. What a sweet gesture in showing appreciation for me and helping his community!

Ways to Bring Kindness Action to the Party

Other Resources to Help