Did you see anyone get “Booed” last month, or maybe little signs saying “You’ve Been Booed?” Possibly you were the ones doing the “Boo-ing.” If yes, you may be familiar with this form of holiday kindness. “You’ve Been Gobbled” follows the same train of thought and execution—showering someone with kindness during the month of November.
You’ve Been Gobbled
If this is all a new concept to you, the idea is to anonymously surprise someone, or in this case “Gobble” them and ask them to pay it forward by “Gobbling” someone else with kindness. You can start this idea anywhere: in your workplace, your neighborhood, or in your personal network. It is lovely to be able to watch the goodness grow and spread, as more and more people join in on the fun.
This is also a great activity you can use to treat those friends or family members you may not be able to get together with in-person during the holiday season.
Get the Kids in on the Gobble
My favorite part of doing things like this is getting my little helpers hands-on with the project, and what better time to talk to them about showing gratitude and spreading kindness? Get your kids involved with every part of the action, from including their input on who could use a little extra goodness in their lives right now, to what exactly that might entail.
Whether you are creating something homemade or shopping for something online, it’s great for them to be able to offer suggestions and make choices here, too. When doing things like this, we usually set a budget before planning out the gifts, so we know how many people or families we can surprise.
The surprises don’t have to be costly, either. It can be something as sweet and simple as a handwritten note, drawing, or homemade card. The idea is not to go broke, but just to spread a little sunshine. That can be done with just a few kind words!
Who to Gobble
Pick an individual or family to Gobble. Does everyone in the family get to choose someone or are you going to choose a family/ individual together? How are you going to choose who to surprise? Has someone had a recent big life change?
Even if it was for the better, life changes can often be difficult to maneuver. Holidays are great for some, but not all. Maybe this time of year is really hard for someone you all know. There might be someone in your life you are appreciative of, and you want to shower them with goodness.
You could choose someone with one of these qualifiers or maybe your child wants to choose their best friend, coach, teacher, etc. Your options are endless, choose one or all!
How Do You Gobble
Decide how to Gobble them. Will it be something they can literally “gobble up?” Are you writing a letter, baking a treat, or sending a gift card? Will it be a singular surprise or a basket of goodness? Is the person in need of something you are able to provide, or are you just looking to brighten someone’s day?
There’s no wrong way to Gobble, so any way you Gobble is a great way!
Get Your Gobble Ready
Choose a time and place. Will you be dropping off the surprise in-person? Are you trying to choose a time you know whether they will or won’t be home? Would it be better to deliver the Gobble to their workplace or school? Does the person live locally, or will you need to ship?
Make a plan and figure out the logistics of how your surprise will go down. If you need additional “Gobblers” to be able to complete your plan, recruit some! Most people are more than happy to help with a surprise.
Go Forth and Gobble
Once you have chosen the how, where, and when you are surprising your intended individual or family, the last steps are prep and execution. When preparing your item or items to pass on, be sure to include a note about the idea for “You’ve Been Gobbled” and that the recipient should pass along the “Gobble”, if they are able to do so. They may not know what to make of the surprise without instructions! You can write out the directions by hand, or there are many cute printables online for this purpose. Once you have everything gathered up and ready to go, set out and get to Gobbling!
While anonymity has traditionally played a part in the magic of these acts of kindness, you may want to be more forthcoming in the current climate. This may be especially important if your kindness includes food items or items that may be difficult to clean, depending on the recipient’s preferences.
