Kitchen Chats with Aimee Kandrac Episode 6: Making The Holidays Special

It’s the holidays! In any given year, the season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s can be just as stressful as it is joyful, and those feelings are only compounded when a loved one is going through a hard time. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to bring cheer to your friends and family. Aimee and her Mom Fran Kandrac share easy, thoughtful ways to make the holidays a little brighter for those having a tough year.

Episode Highlights

Send a care package.

Care packages are one of Fran’s favorite ways to show someone she’s thinking about them. Whether mailed or dropped off in person, a care package an opportunity to give your friend items that may help or delight them.

Here are some items you may want to include:

• Seasonal cards and markers
• Tea bags and cookies
• Essential food and grocery items
• Hershey’s kisses
• A joke book

Help with outdoor work.

The holidays come at the time of year when fall gives way to winter, which can mean piles of leaves in the yard. Consider rounding up a group of friends to rake the yard and clear the gutters. Bonus: You can have hot cider on hand to make the activity extra merry.

You can also ask your friend if you can decorate their house for the holidays or help take down existing decorations. However, make sure to ask your friend first whether it’s okay to decorate and if they have any style guidelines.

“No matter what you’re doing … ask your friend what they want, and then respect what they tell you,” Fran said.

Tell your friend you’re thinking of them.

On the day of a holiday, you may be hesitant to text or call your friend because you don’t want to interrupt. But reaching out to a friend on a holiday can be a great way to bring a little cheer.

“If you know they’re probably not having a good day, you can simply say, ‘I’m thinking about you today,’” Fran said.

If your friend is lonely, the interruption may be more than welcome. However, don’t expect your friend to be able to talk or respond right away.

Make Christmas presents with the kids.

If your friend has kids and celebrates Christmas, offer to watch the kids for an afternoon and help them make and wrap presents for the family. You can also bake and decorate cookies or do Christmas-themed crafts. As a bonus, you’ll also be giving your friend an added gift of an afternoon to themselves.

“It allows your friend time to take a nap, clean the house, or binge watch a couple of TV shows,” Fran said.

Host a cookie exchange.

The holidays aren’t complete without baked goods, and one easy way to bring some cheer is with cookies. Consider hosting a cookie exchange in which about a dozen friends each bring a few dozen cookies to swap. If your friend doesn’t have the time or energy to bring cookies, they can still come and have a variety of cookies to take home.

Remember: Cookies don’t have to be homemade. Store-bought cookies are just as festive, and some people prefer them.

“Store-bought stuff is really good, and sometimes a lot of people prefer store bought,” Fran said. “There’s nothing wrong with that, and they can look beautiful on a big platter or several small platters.”

Resources + Links

• Aimee Kandrac: Website, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
• WhatFriendsDo: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

About Aimee and WhatFriendsDo 

Aimee Kandrac is a speaker, consultant, and the co-founder and CEO of WhatFriendsDo. Her work is instrumental for organizing support during life-changing events, and she speaks to organizations about creative ways to help friends and family during times of crisis. Aimee has been recognized as a Top 50 Mompreneur by Babble.com and is the first female CEO in the state of Indiana to close a $500,000 funding round. She has been featured in Forbes, Time, the LA Times, Oprah.com, the Indianapolis Star, and more.

WhatFriendsDo is a simpler way to create organized and actionable support during a time of crisis. The free, online platform empowers healthcare facilities, HR departments, families, and friends to easily coordinate meals, errands, transportation, childcare, communication, and more for those in the midst of a life-changing event. The women-founded and women-led company started as a solution for a friend with terminal cancer. WhatFriendsDo is based out of Indianapolis.