Kindness as a Tradition

What happens when the traditions you create ripple farther than you ever imagined?

Stephanie had Episode 3 completely planned — a running story, an outline, everything ready to go. But then a friend reached out and shared something unexpected… and everything shifted.

In this episode, Stephanie shares the heart behind a tradition that began as a simple desire to teach her daughters that the magic of the season isn’t found in what you get — it’s found in what you give.

Because sometimes the smallest traditions become someone else’s foundation.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

The True Origin of Advent

Why the very first advent calendar wasn’t about treats — and how it was designed to offer hope, anticipation, and meaning.

How to Start Your Own Tradition of Kindness

Simple, doable ideas to create a family tradition rooted in giving — without overwhelm or perfection.

Strange & Beautiful Kindness Traditions from Around the World

From centuries-old customs to global holiday celebrations, discover traditions that may feel familiar… and others that may surprise you.

Why Words Matter More Than We Think

Before diving into traditions, Stephanie explores how the words we use today become our children’s inner voice tomorrow — and why kindness is one of the strongest choices we ever make.

Plus in this episode:

• ✨ Magical Moment: When you realize your small tradition became someone else’s legacy
• 🏃‍♀️ Magical Miles: Why giving is like running — you don’t see the change at first, but one day you realize your heart is stronger
• 💅 Sparkle & Glow Up: Winter skin rescue tips and the callus glow-up you didn’t know you needed
• 🥂 Sip of the Week: A meaningful business transition and what it means to trust your legacy
• 🎙️ Business Foreshadow: Real conversations about leadership, negotiation, and reinvention are coming

This episode is for you if:

• You want to create meaningful holiday traditions with your family
• You’re looking for simple, doable ways to teach generosity
• You love learning about different cultures and their celebrations
• You’re a Disney fan who wants to experience Epcot in a whole new way
• You believe that small acts of kindness can change the world

Keywords: holiday traditions, 12 days of kindness, advent calendar, family traditions, generosity, Epcot Festival of the Holidays, global celebrations, parenting, kindness, meaningful holidays, Disney holidays, World Showcase, raising generous kids

Champagne Smiles & Magical Miles is a podcast about living with grace, choosing joy, and celebrating the moments — big and small — that make life meaningful.

Hosted by Stephanie Parks, each episode blends mindset, self-care, family traditions, and everyday intention with a touch of Disney magic and real-life reflection. From the words we use and the habits we build to the kindness we extend to ourselves and others, this podcast is an invitation to slow down, show up, and live on purpose.

You’ll hear favorite segments like Words Matter, Magical Miles, Sparkle & Glow Up, and Sip of the Week — each designed to inspire, encourage, and help you leave every episode with simple, practical takeaways you can easily implement in daily life.

Whether you’re in a season of growth, rest, or celebration, this space is for you.

Because every mile matters, every word counts, and life is meant to be lived with grace, joy, and a whole lot of celebrating. ✨🥂

🎙️ New episodes weekly. Follow along and join the celebration.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:14

Do you know what I realized the other day? The traditions that we think are small are the ones that get carried further than we know. This episode almost didn't happen. I had something different planned. But then a friend told me she has been carrying one of our family traditions with her own kids every year. And I had no idea. She recommended I change my plan. And that's why this episode exists. Sometimes the most important conversations aren't the ones we plan, they're the ones we're called to have. So today we're talking about kindness, traditions, and the beautiful, bizarre ways the world celebrates giving. I can't wait. Let's dig in. Let's start this episode with one goal to make your day better than it was five minutes ago. This is Champagne Smiles and Magical Miles, and I'm your host, Stephanie Parks. If you're new here, welcome. If you're returning, I'm glad you're back. Whether you're a busy parent, a runner, a Disney adult, a dream chaser, or someone who wants a little more joy in their life, you're in the right place. This is the podcast for anyone who believes that life is better with adventure, with confidence, and with joy. If that's you, welcome home. One of our recurring segments on Champagne Smiles and Magical Miles is Words Matter. The word of the week, you guessed it, is kindness. Before we talk about traditions, before we even dive into the wild and wonderful ways the world celebrates the holidays, we need to talk about words. I am a speech language pathologist and I join the profession because I love talking and I love words. Words aren't just sounds we make or sentences we string together. Words build the atmosphere in our homes, they shape how our kids see the world, and they become the voice they hear when no one else is speaking. Think about that. Our words become their inner voice when they're facing a hard decision, when they're an adult in a moment of doubt, what voice do they hear in their head? It sounds like ours. So what are we saying? Not just to them, but to the world around us. What are we teaching? What happens when we think no one's listening, but they are? Here's the truth. Kindness is not weak. It's one of the strongest choices we make. Kindness is choosing your tone when you're exhausted. Kindness is choosing patience when you're at your limit. Kindness is choosing grace when it would be easier to be sharp, to snap, or let frustration win. Here's what I've learned. I have had to choose kindness, and it is a struggle. Not because I don't want to be kind, but because of those reasons. You're exhausted. Your patience is at its limit. You're frustrated. I've been a mom for 23 years. Children do not learn kindness from lectures. They don't learn it from perfect quote cards on the fridge or in their lunchboxes. They learn it from watching us. How we speak to strangers, how we treat service workers, how we talk about people when they're not in the room. And this is the hardest one, how we speak to ourselves. As you guys know, both my daughters are currently working at Disney. They are service workers. And one of my daughters shared with me during this holiday season that she doesn't feel seen. That people don't make eye contact, they ask questions in word-word responses, like toilet or bathroom, and get irritated when the bathroom isn't as close as they'd like it to be. Being mindful of that in our daily lives as we prepare for the holidays is important. And it meant a lot for them to share that with me. So, how we speak to ourselves, if you constantly are criticizing yourself, tearing yourself down, apologizing for taking up space, you're teaching those who look up to you, children, nieces and nephews, family members, friends, colleagues, that you don't respect yourself. And they'll do the same. If they look to you as a mentor, it is meaningful that you respect yourself and yet your words matter. That's why one of the most meaningful missions inside our family's tradition of 12 days of kindness has been spread kindness with your words or actions today. And then we come back to the dinner table and we talk about how we spread kindness with our words and what did they do. So before you speak, especially in heated moments, pause and ask yourself these three things. Is this true? Is it kind? And are these words necessary? If it doesn't pass all three, maybe it doesn't need to be said. The legacy of your words doesn't end when the conversation comes to an end. It echoes in relationships, it shows up in how your kids will parent. It lives in how others see themselves and how they see you. Word matters, and kindness is the tradition that costs nothing, but it changes everything about their mindset. So we have a bubbles and breakthrough moment segment on our show. The moment I mentioned earlier was that I had an entirely different episode three planned. It was outlined, it was written, it was ready to go. And I knew the timing just wasn't right. It was like there was something else that needed to be said first. Then that was my bubble moment. Sitting in that discomfort between should I go ahead and drop episode three with the running story? Was it the right moment? I don't think so. And then right before I recorded it, that dear friend reached out to me after listening to my podcast. She told me she had been watching me since her early adulthood and how I parented and how I built traditions with my girls, how I showed up in everyday moments. And then she said something I didn't expect. Stephanie, one of the best traditions I've carried into my own motherhood was your 12 days of kindness. And I've been doing it with my kids for years now. I had no idea. I sat staring at my phone. My eyes, I'm not gonna lie, were a little watery because it was so meaningful. I didn't create the tradition to be seen. I created it because I wanted my daughters to grow up knowing the magic of the season isn't in what you get, it's what you give. I never imagined it would be something someone else would carry forward. And in that moment, my mindset shifted. Sometimes the things you think are small, the everyday choices you make are someone else's foundation. That conversation is why episode three changed. It had to be the message, this tradition, right now. Before I tell you about our tradition, I want to share the story that changed how I see Advent. This is the true origin story of Advent. The original Advent calendar didn't start with chocolates and tiny toys or beauty samples. It began in an orphanage in Germany in the late 1800s. The children living there didn't have gifts waiting for them. They didn't have treats, they didn't even have families. But one of the caregivers wanted to give them something they could have: hope and anticipation. So the Advent, simple, paper doors numbered one through 24. Behind each door wasn't candy or a prize, it was a picture, a symbol, a reminder that Christmas and the joy of Christmas was coming. It was never about what was inside the door. It was about what it represented. Something to look forward to. Joy. Advent was never meant to be about what we get. It was always meant to be what we're anticipating, what we're about to celebrate. So our family's tradition, like many families, we have a traditional Advent calendar. It's fun every morning to see the tiny surprises, the chocolate. And we kept that tradition because traditions matter, joy matters, and there's nothing wrong with a little chocolate in December. But alongside that, we created something else. Our Advent and Giving tradition started and evolved. Some years we do great, and other years we fail miserably, and that's okay. Instead of opening a treat, we have an opportunity to give each day. And sometimes it's really simple. Write a note of encouragement, bake some cookies and give them to a neighbor, leave a surprise on someone's doorstep, go to school or work and say something that's kind or purposefully do something out of your way that's kind. Other days it's bigger. Choose a family to sponsor, donate toys anonymously. After each act of kindness, we come home and we talk about it and we talk about what it meant to do that. It's not about the size of the gesture, it's about what we did and that we did it with purpose. And then it was about giving and being kind and not receiving. Sometimes we sit around the kitchen counter together and we look at different opportunities of giving. Maybe it's a homeless shelter or it's a senior living community or it's a pet shelter. Wherever they feel that's where they want to give. It taught the girls that the countdown to Christmas wasn't just about what they were receiving. They found that giving was more rewarding and anticipated what was behind the advent door. So, how the tradition evolved over the years, taken different forms. Here's some ideas that we've tried besides traditional advent with doors that have, you know, maybe a trinket plus an act of kindness. One year we created a kindness chain. We wrote acts of kindness on each strip, looped them together, hung the chain in our living room, and every night we'd gather, tear off a link, and complete the act as a family. By December 25th, the chain was gone, but the impact remained. Holiday Kindness bingo card turned into a bingo style challenge because Maddie Joe loves bingo style challenges. They do them at school for all different reasons. You can imagine the bingo card printed out. I have a template that you can in my bio on Insta, you can download that is the one that we use this year. You can complete it on your own pace, which I love because we have lots of different competing priorities, especially during the holidays. So you could do five in a row, you can do diagonal, you can do a full blackout, you can do one each day, but you can do it in any way bingo style that you want to. So it makes kindness joyful and not pressured. And I found that to be a blessing this season. Feel free to download it if you want to, change the squares or use it for inspo, whatever you want. The kindness wreath, one year we had an empty wreath. And for every act of kindness, we added to the wreath a ribbon, a tag, a note. By Christmas morning, the wreath wasn't just a decoration, but proof of the generosity and kindness woven into our season, which was nice to look back on. You can write you matter notes, leave them in random places, bake for neighbors, make cards for teachers, surprise someone with their favorite coffee, pay it forward. You're in line at your favorite coffee place and pay for someone's coffee behind you. Financial giving, sitting around the kitchen counter, pulling up online causes, talk about what's important, cancer research, local food banks, shelters. Um, and then choose which one we could donate together. The$1 blessing challenge went to the dollar store with a handful of bills and taped them around the store, like underneath toys, wherever the girls wanted to tape the dollars. The five dollar blessing challenge, we went in with five dollars to see how far we could stretch it. How far could we take those dollars and then take them out in the community for kindness? So small toys for donation bins, candy canes to hand out, thank you cards were some of the things that we came out with. It wasn't about the dollar amount, but it was about creativity, intention, and realizing that a little can go a long way. And then finally, I always love to do a child-led final day, the wrap of the season. And it was their choice to decide where to give, how to give, and who to bless. The goal was never for them to follow my script, it was for them to see the world through a lens of kindness and generosity and make it their own. All right, so hopefully that gave you some thoughts. And I would love to hear if any of you go and do it. I know it's late in the season, but you could get a few days in, maybe one bingo across or diagonal. Kindness traditions around the world, I think this is fun to think about because kindness and generosity show up in unexpected, delightful, and strange traditions. I enjoyed the research here. One of my favorite places to actually experience these traditions is I would love to say I've been to all of these locations, but I'd love to travel, maybe one day. However, Epcot, during the Festival of the Holidays, you guys know how much I love Disney. We're going to be there during the holidays because my big girls are there. Every pavilion in the world showcase comes alive with storytellers sharing traditions from their culture. If you've never been, should be on your list. It's true to their real stories. Weird ones, sacred ones, the ones that don't make sense unless you grew up in that country. So let's take a trip around the world at a Epcot to see how different cultures celebrate giving. Mexico, Los Pasados. The tradition is for nine nights before Christmas, Mexican communities reenact the Los Pasados, which is Mary and Joseph's search for shelter in Bethlehem. Neighbors go door to door singing and asking for lodging. Some doors turn them away until finally one family welcomes them inside. The celebration begins. Food, pinadas, joy shared by the entire community. At Epcot, the three kings share the story with mariachi music, colorful costumes, and audience participation. They explain piñadas, nativity scenes, and the three Kings Day celebration on January 6th. The kindness is a powerful reminder to welcome the stranger, celebrate together, especially those who might otherwise be overlooked. Norway, I'm going to try this one. Jullensen. Julensen. Hiding of the brooms. The tradition is in Norway they hide all their brooms on Christmas Eve to keep witches from stealing them. Here's the kindness twist. They leave out a bowl of porridge for Nyssa, a protective farm spirit who watches over the household. If the Nyssa is fed well, he'll protect your family. Forget his porridge, expect mischief all year. At Epcot storytellers in folk costumes share tales of Julensen, holiday foods, and the cozy concept of Haga. During Norway's darkest nights, the kindness here is remembering to care for the unseen helpers, a beautiful metaphor for gratitude toward those who work behind the scenes. Moving on to Italy, La Bafana. The tradition is that Italian children wait for La Bafana, a kind witch who flies on the broomstick on January 5th, Epiphany Eve. Legend says La Bafana was too busy cleaning to join the wise men on their journey to see baby Jesus. When she tried to follow, she couldn't find them. Now she flies from house to house delivering gifts to children, still searching for Christ's child. Good children get candy. Naughty children get coal, but these days it's sweet, edible coal instead of the real stuff. At Epcot, there's a theatrical performance that brings Mana to life, along with explanations of the feast of the seven fishes and the Italian nativity scene. The kindness, even in her endless search, La Bafana never stops giving. The story about persistence and generosity. And moving on to Germany, this is the one I'm not going to try to pronounce, but I will tell you about the tradition. It's St. Nicholas's helper, rewards good children and warns naughty ones. German families celebrate with Christmas markets, advent wreaths, and Christ kind who brings gifts. Sound a little familiar? A Epcot storytellers in barbarian costumes share these tales with accordion music, connecting St. Nicholas traditions to modern Santa Claus. The kindness, that kindness and generosity are rewarded, and that the season is about giving and not just receiving. In Poland, on Christmas Eve, the Polish family set the table with an extra empty chair and place setting. It's reserved for an unexpected guest, a traveler, or the spirit of a deceased loved one. No one is turned away. If the stranger knocks, they're invited in to share the meal. The kindness, creating space for the unexpected, whether it's a living guest or the memory of someone loved and lost, it's radical hospitality. Moving on to the Philippines, neighbors compete to create beautiful star-shaped Christmas lanterns made from bamboo and colorful paper. Originally, these lanterns lit the way for people walking to dawn masses before Christmas. Families hang the lanterns called paroles outside their homes to guide travelers. The kindness is lighting the way for strangers, a beacon of hospitality and care. In Greece, the tradition is called St. Basil's Cake. On New Year's Day, Greek families bake vasilopita, a special cake with a coin hidden inside. Whoever gets the slice with the coin will have good luck all year. The first slice is always set aside for the poor, the stranger, or Christ Himself. Reserving the first and best portion for those in need is intentional generosity. In Japan, they have a very American tradition: Christmas dinner at KFC. It's a beloved tradition, and you have to reserve your bucket of chicken weeks in advance. It started in the 1970s with a successful marketing campaign, and now millions celebrate with fried chicken, Christmas cake, and champagne. At Epcot, storytellers focus on the Japanese New Year's tradition, dolls, and drumming. It's joyful, communal, and a reminder that traditions don't have to be old to be meaningful. They need to bring people together and bring joy. In Iceland, the Yule lads, the tradition is Icelandic children wait for 13 mischievous Yule lads, troll-like figures, who visit one per night during the 13 nights before Christmas. Each has a quirky personality, one steals sausage, one slams doors, one leaks spoons clean. It kind of sounds like our elves, doesn't it? Children leave shoes on windowsills, good kids get treats, naughty kids get a rotten potato. The kindness is that it's playful, cultural, and the ultimate advent countdown. Thirteen nights of surprises and anticipation. In Ethiopia, the tradition is after a 43-day fast, families gather for Ghana. Christmas on January 7th. Before they eat, they play a traditional game called Ghana, similar to field hockey. Then comes the feast, and families invite neighbors, strangers, and anyone in need to join. No one eats alone. Radical hospitality is the kindness, ensuring that everyone has a place at the table after a very long season of sacrifice. Argentina, Globos de los Deseos. The tradition is that families release wish balloons into the sky at midnight on Christmas Eve or New Year's. They write wishes, not just for themselves, but for their community, country, and world. The kindness is sending wishes and hope into the world, believing collective goodwill can make a difference. So why am I sharing this? One, I think it's really cool to understand how other cultures have traditions like we do. There's similarities, and there's some things that I wish we would do. I don't want to do the fast for 43 days. I would probably eat a lot of Taco Bell afterwards. But the traditions are important for our communities, for our cultures. It's a way of celebrating, and there's no right or wrong way. It's just your way and your family's way. When you look around the world, you realize that every culture has its own way to mark the season. Some are rooted in religion, some in folklore, some in resilience, and some in pure joy. And all of them are valid because at the heart of every tradition, whether it's solemn or silly, ancient or modern, is the same desire to create meaning, to connect, to pass something forward. That's why we enjoy our 12 days of kindness. We have other traditions. I'd love to hear yours. Creating something that matters, something our kids will carry forward, something that might ripple farther than we knew. My magical moment this week was realizing that something I created with my girls, it's knowing that kindness doesn't end with us. It ripples outward, it gets passed on, it becomes someone else's foundation. And that's more magical than any perfectly wrapped gift could ever be. You know, giving is like running. You keep practicing and keep running and keep showing up. And that's the same way with generosity, with giving, and with kindness. One mile, one act, one choice at a time. And then one day, months later, maybe years later, you look back and realize my heart is stronger than it used to be. That's the magic of consistency. Whether it's running, giving, or showing up for people you love, the miles add up. And so does the impact. One of my favorite segments to transition is sparkle and glow up. Last week we talked about taking care of you. Last week it was hydration. How did you do? Have you been able to drink how much water? Half your weight in ounces. I had some great days and horrific days last week, but I kept thinking about you. Did you notice a difference? Keep going. If you didn't start today, it's never too late. So this week, winter is rough on our skin. Here's your game plan: switch to a thicker nighttime moisturizer. Apply on damp skin to lock in hydration, and do not forget your neck, chest, and hands. Bonus, heel glow up. Your feet are one of the most likely to become dehydrated and hands. So warm shower to soften, gentle pumice on those heels two to three times a week. I found from a Dermatologist. It was actually for I had a tough piece of skin on my knee. She recommended urea cream. I actually use a generic one that I found on Amazon. It's urea and it's 40%. Use whatever you find appropriate. The urea cream is a game changer. That tough piece of skin that had built up from scar tissue and from the falling actually is gone. And my heels are softer than they've ever been. The urea cream is not expensive and it's an easy fix. Throw some cotton socks on after you put it on, sleep in it. Soft skin is underrated and brings confidence. Thank you so much for listening to episode three of Champagne Smiles and Magical Miles and letting me share our family's traditions. If something resonated with you, if you try the 12 days of kindness, or if you have holiday traditions to share, I would love to hear about it. Follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook at Stephanie in the Parks. You can email me at Stephanieintheparks at gmail.com. You can message me directly with a text link here on the podcast. You'll find daily scenes of magic, encouragement, and new episode updates. Check out the link in my insta bio for items that I actually use at home. There's nothing there that I'm not actually using with my family or myself. And then you can also download the acts of kindness. If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who might need a little joy, a little purpose, and a reminder that kindness is the tradition that changes everything. Choose giving, choose grace, choose joy. Until next time, love, hug, kisses, cheers. It's Matty Joe time.