Week 6 of the "Go First" Challenge!
Build a Basket
This will be a super short post!
But I wanted to give you the idea behind the sixth week of our Go First Challenge. (If you’re just catching up, Amanda Wettersten of One Hundred People Project and I are hosting an 8-week challenge to help you welcome those around you — even if you and they are not new!)
You can watch Amanda’s reels more about the challenge here, but let’s get to Week 6!
Does It Have to Be a Basket?
No! The idea here is to build a bag, box, basket (any other “B” words?) filled with goodies to bless a leader in your sphere or a neighbor who needs something to say “I see you.”
You might take a box of newborn clothes and a few hand-made items and chocolates to that new mom down the street. Or you could put together a simple “welcome” box of cookies and milk for the elderly neighbor who just joined your church.
Maybe there’s someone you see week in and week out, but you’re pretty sure they don’t get “seen” like others might. It could be the custodian at your child’s school, a brand-new teacher who is coming into the school mid-year or a co-worker who needs an “atta-girl” and rarely gets her due.
What Goes in the Basket?
That’s up to you! I will give you a list of ideas here, but the fun in this week’s challenge is to tailor it to
A) What you have time to do, and
B) The recipient
Some ideas might include…
A themed basket for your neighbor who is out of ideas for her young children in the afternoon: sidewalk chalk, bubbles, lemonade, cookies and note that says, “You’re doing a great job. Here are some goodies your kids can enjoy this week!”
A basket for the co-worker who is discouraged or new to the office: a coffee mug and some special tea, a stirring spoon and a box of chocolates may be all that co-worker needs to feel included.
A bag full of dog treats for the new puppy parents who were up half the night trying to crate train him before church last Sunday. Get some fun $1 store toys, a few milk bones and include a note around the bag that says, “It will get better; hang in there!”
A lollipop tree for the front office at your child’s school. This is a fun way to be a blessing to those who handle all the details and tend to miss out on the Teacher Week or End-of-Year goodies that teachers often receive. Just get a foam ball from a craft store (or I’ve even seen these at the $1 store), and buy anything that comes on a stick to slide into the foam gently. (It might be traditional lollipops, tootsie pops, cake pops, etc.) Then, place the whole thing in a gift bag or a planter, throw some confetti paper on top, and include a note: “We hope this makes your week pop with inspiration!”
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
What about My Basket?
I’m planning to show a step-by-step of how I put my basket together later this week.
But here’s the pro tip:
Do what you can do.
This means if you know a batch of banana bread is easy for you to put together because you’ve made it a million times, do it! But if you’re light on kitchen skills and tight on time, it’s okay to go store-bought.
And if you’re somewhere in between like I am, do a little homemade-ish and a little store-boughtish.
The key isn’t to get extravagant. It is to remind someone you’re thinking of them right where they are, in their everyday life.
Show Us Your Baskets!
We would love for you to tag us on instagram or comment here with a photo (or an idea for a basket if you don’t have time this week)! You can find me at https://www.instagram.com/brooke_turbyfill and Amanda at https://www.instagram.com/onehundredpeopleproject/.