Week 24: Candy Canes on Cars

Last week, I kicked off my annual December tradition of handing out candy canes to strangers and hanging them on door handles in parking lots while out running errands. 

I did the math and realized I've been doing this for 23 years already, after a trip to Phoenix to visit my cousin. She had some candy canes in her car and gave them to appreciative strangers at the gas station. I saw how simple it was, how happy the recipients were by the gesture, and the tradition was born.

This year, the candy canes have been distributed in Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, and Colorado as I drove across the states last week. Just today, back at home, I asked the young man who took my cart in the Meijer parking lot if he'd like one and he excitedly said, "Sure! Thank you!" 

It's fun thinking about my kids only knowing a life of handing out candy canes in December, that it's a total normal thing for them. 

"You need to replenish your stock" my 16-year-old told me this afternoon.

And she's right, because we still have two weeks left in the year!