181: Raising Kind Kids and Bringing Christ into Christmas with Allison and Lisa of The Giving Manger

Allison Hottinger & Lisa Kalberer are the sisters behind The Giving Manger, who believe kindness is an everyday practice and giving can change everything. With 6 kids between them (Lisa has one son, Allison has five kids), their focus is RAISING KIND KIDS. Kids who Give. Kids who CARE. They are constantly looking for ways to make giving and kindness simple and a daily practice. Today I get to ask Allison and Lisa all about their journey with starting the Giving Manger and how they've helped bring that tradition to thousands of families and created millions of acts of service around the world. We also get to talk about their inspiration behind their newest project, the kindness chain, and how this kid-friendly, family centered activity can help unify kids and parents with their communities and bring more love and kindness to the world.   Time Stamps: [00:58] - Allison explains where the idea for The Giving Manger came from. [03:57] - “If we can’t get it out of our mind, it might be something that we need to do.” [05:41] - Lisa talks about the drive they had once they were set on bringing The Giving Manger to life. [07:35] - Real joy comes from being in service and helping each other. [09:53] - When you follow your purpose, resources will show up for you. [12:51] - Did Allison and Lisa feel any opposition as they created The Giving Manger? [14:57] - Reach out to the community around you. [17:38] - Shifting the focus to giving. [19:26] - Take time to appreciate others and be intentional. [21:13] - Human connection is part of giving. Lisa shares what happened when she took a chance on having a kind chat with a stranger. [23:18] - Our small contributions add up. Allison shares a story of a stranger making a friendly request to make another person’s Christmas joyful. [25:26] - Be kind. [27:24] - A smile goes a long way. [30:12] - We can all be more understanding of each other. [31:51] - Corrine recalls a moment where simple words from a nice stranger made a situation more comfortable. [33:40] - Where did the creative prompts come from? [36:11] - Kindness creates a chain reaction. [38:57] - Try to be part of the solution. Allison and Lisa talk about how their families are being more and more involved in creating change. [41:38] - Remember to be kind to people, even when it feels inconvenient. You never know what impact your kindness could have. [43:32] - Kindness is a daily practice. It starts from one thing at a time.   Supporting Resources: Instagram @thegivingmanger  The Giving Manger website  “The Giving Manger” Book by Allison Hottinger