Candy Cane Caper

Day 320

I love how my boys attack every new activity like it’s their job.

Today, we meet Kasey at the Blue Ash Library to pass out candy canes to unsuspecting strangers and to wish them a happy holiday.  I’m excited for the boys to meet Kasey since we’ll be teaming up in the future as part of her yearlong project.   

Lots of kids turn shy when meeting someone new.  Not mine.  A. tells Kasey and her mom about his school.  F. chats about what he wants from Santa.  I. talks about what books he likes to read. 

Some of this comes naturally.  They are children of a talker.  Some of this confidence comes from our year of reaching out to strangers.  It takes bravery to approach new situations without knowing the outcome.  This year has stretched their confidence as well as their capacity to be kind.   

Kasey holds a bag of candy canes.  Decorated with googly eyes, noses and pipe cleaner antlers, they peek out of the top of her bag, reindeers itching to fly. 

Ours are not nearly as impressive.  We twisted pipe cleaners on our canes in the mad dash of our school morning before the bus arrived.  They look less flight worthy and more in danger of getting a DUI. 

I hand our candy canes to the boys and try to give as little direction as possible.  I want them to figure out how kindness works by doing. 

I. walks purposefully through the library, handing candy canes to people he sees.  When he runs out of people, he places canes in library carrels, tucks some in between books, balances one on the copy machine, another on the coin return of the vending machine. He creates a treasure hunt of candy.

 

Kasey, a holiday elf of goodwill and cheer, stations herself by the front door.  “Happy Holidays,” she smiles.  “Want one?”  She tilts the bag towards unsuspecting strangers whose faces break into smiles.   

What a perfect example of how something so simple can bring so much joy.