Is It Too Early for the Spirit of Giving?
There’s something about October that feels like the start of the giving season. Maybe it’s the cooler air, or the way the leaves change and remind us that new seasons bring new opportunities to grow. Maybe it’s just that gentle tug — the one that whispers it’s time to slow down, notice others, and start giving in small ways again.
For our family, October has become the month when we start preparing our hearts for the holidays — not by shopping early or making lists, but by noticing. Noticing the people around us who could use a helping hand, a kind word, or even just a smile.
“Kindness doesn’t need to be grand — it just needs to be genuine.”
A Gentle Start to Giving
Kindness doesn’t have to come with bows or wrapping paper. It can be as simple as a child sharing a toy without being asked, a neighbor helping carry in groceries, or a thank-you note tucked into a lunchbox.
As adults, we sometimes underestimate how much these small gestures matter. But when we take the time to point them out to our children — to name kindness when we see it — we start building habits that last long past the holidays.
In our home, we talk often about what it means to see people. To notice who might be left out, who might need encouragement, and how we can use what we have to help. These are small conversations, but they shape big hearts.
Welcoming the Season of Giving
October is the perfect time to begin gently weaving generosity into your family’s rhythm. Maybe that means starting a family Kindness Countdown — one small act of giving each week leading up to Thanksgiving.
It doesn’t have to be elaborate:
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Leave an encouraging note for a classmate or coworker.
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Donate a few canned goods to your local food pantry.
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Bake cookies for a neighbor who lives alone.
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Compliment someone sincerely.
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Pick up litter at the park.
When children participate in these moments, something shifts. They begin to understand that showing kindness isn’t just something we do — being kind is something we become.
Building a Giving Tradition Together
If Giving With Gabriel was born out of our family’s small steps toward generosity, my hope is that this space — this little corner of the internet — can help your family start its own tradition, too.
Whether it’s through Beau and Gabriel’s story, a kindness challenge, or a simple act done quietly at home, may this October be the month your family opens its heart to the joy that comes from giving.
Because when we start with small acts of kindness, we set in motion something much bigger — the kind of goodness that carries us right through Christmas and far beyond it.
Kindness Challenge for Families
Print or jot down a simple Kindness Countdown — ten small things your family can do between now and Thanksgiving. Let your children help choose the acts, and talk about how each one made someone else feel.
You might be surprised to see how those little moments of giving change your family, too.
