We at Team MUTTS would like to thank all who joined us in celebrating The Gift of Nothing Day on Saturday, December 30. As you may know, this holiday — inspired by The Gift of Nothing book and play by Patrick McDonnell — is meant to be spent in the company of loved ones. It’s a day to enjoy nothing and everything.
This was our first annual celebration of The Gift of Nothing Day, and we were thrilled at how enthusiastically the idea was received by the MUTTS community and beyond. We heard from people across the world — families, individuals, teachers, librarians, and more — who not only embraced the concept of giving “nothing,” but also added their own creative spin to the holiday. Below are a few examples of how some folks recognized The Gift of Nothing Day this year.
In mid-December, elementary students from the Greensburg-Salem School District in Greensburg, Pennsylvania participated in two The Gift of Nothing themed evenings at their local Barnes & Noble. The students decorated over 200 boxes and bookmarks with messages of love and friendship. Raphael Pantalone, an art teacher for the school district, told us the event was such a success that they expanded the activity to include even more students.
“We’ve been working on Gift of Nothing boxes with all 400 K-3 students,” he said. “We all love Patrick’s story and feel the message should be spread. It’s amazing how much heartfelt discussion the book brings from the kids. They then share that feeling of love with their families and friends. It is a very powerful, positive gift.”
At an elementary school in Franklinville, New York, students read The Gift of Nothing book in class and then blew kisses into gift bags to share with their loved ones:
At Grassy Waters Elementary School in West Palm Beach, Florida, The Gift of Nothing was incorporated into school-wide holiday activities during the month of December. Teachers read the book aloud in their classrooms, provided boxes for students to decorate, and spoke about the idea of giving “nothing and everything” during their morning announcements.
To read more or to share your own Gift of Nothing stories, visit The Gift of Nothing Day on Facebook or follow the hashtag #TheGiftOfNothingDay on Instagram. You can also email us your stories and photos at blog@mutts.com.
Didn’t have a chance to participate in The Gift of Nothing Day this year? Want to celebrate again next year? Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 29, 2018!
Again, thank you for helping to make the first annual Gift of Nothing Day a special and memorable occasion. It means everything to us.
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