So, even though I enjoyed the Black Friday mayhem, I also spent some time helping patrons who endured the semi-craziness of our small-town Wal*Mart. Let me remind ya that Wal*Mart is the only "department store" our small town has, so aside from Murdoch's Farm & Ranch Supply, they're about the only place within 60 miles offering Black Friday deals...which means that's where everyone is after filling up on turkey and watching the game.
Last year, my friend's hubby's non-profit started handing out hot chocolate to patrons...for free...no agenda, no gimmick. Why? In my words, "Jesus gives to us, so we should give to others". (Plus we live in a small town and you can only hand out so much Christian literature so often. Certain denominations and religions here have yet to understand this fact)
As I stood at the exit doors, two cups of cocoa in hand, it occurred to me that I could make a blog post out of it!
Things I Learned While Handing Out Hot Chocolate At Wal*Mart
1. Not everyone appreciates free things
2. Say, "Hot chocolate?" before phrases like, "Hello. How are you? Would you like some..."
3. Not everyone appreciates free things
4. I need to learn the word "free" in other languages
5. Sometimes, you have to convince people that *you* didn't make it.
6. Standing with only one cup in your hand is creepy. Two cups, and you're a bonafide hot-chocolate-giver!
7. Wear gloves so when hot chocolate sloshes over, you're protected!
8. Don't lick your gloves. That looks creepy too.
9. Offering to follow someone to their vehicle (they're hands are occupying a loaded shopping cart) comes off as creepy.
Bottom line?? If you're handing out free hot chocolate, try not to look creepy!!!
Last year, my friend's hubby's non-profit started handing out hot chocolate to patrons...for free...no agenda, no gimmick. Why? In my words, "Jesus gives to us, so we should give to others". (Plus we live in a small town and you can only hand out so much Christian literature so often. Certain denominations and religions here have yet to understand this fact)
As I stood at the exit doors, two cups of cocoa in hand, it occurred to me that I could make a blog post out of it!
Things I Learned While Handing Out Hot Chocolate At Wal*Mart
1. Not everyone appreciates free things
2. Say, "Hot chocolate?" before phrases like, "Hello. How are you? Would you like some..."
3. Not everyone appreciates free things
4. I need to learn the word "free" in other languages
5. Sometimes, you have to convince people that *you* didn't make it.
6. Standing with only one cup in your hand is creepy. Two cups, and you're a bonafide hot-chocolate-giver!
7. Wear gloves so when hot chocolate sloshes over, you're protected!
8. Don't lick your gloves. That looks creepy too.
9. Offering to follow someone to their vehicle (they're hands are occupying a loaded shopping cart) comes off as creepy.
Bottom line?? If you're handing out free hot chocolate, try not to look creepy!!!
Haha! I bet that was fun :)
ReplyDeleteOne winter, when it was in negative digits a group of us went to a bus station in Dayton (big city-homeless people) people hung out there because it was warm. We passed out Styrofoam bowls with lids on them that contained soup and also cups of hot chocolate. Some people turned it down, but a lot of people took it.
What was fun about it was this. We were not all from the same church. there were girls dressed like me, girls with skirts but no covering, and girls in pants. The guys of course looked the same. People would ask us what church we were from and why we were doing this. We never told them our church. Just our Savior. They were amazed, "most times it's churches and they want us to come to church" they would say.
Nice! Sounds like some interesting times :)
ReplyDelete