Doing something special to make someone's day almost always means making your own day better too. The time required is often short, but the effects are long lasting. You'll be inspired by the many ways iVillage women like to spread joy -- to family, friends, coworkers, even strangers.
1. Say it with flowers: "My husband and I are avid gardeners, so we always have flowers growing in the garden. I love to pick one or two for someone I know who needs cheering up. Flowers, especially from a home garden, can brighten anyone's day."
2. Nourish: "I do a lot of cooking for families who have health issues. There's an older couple in our church, and recently the husband had kidney surgery. I prepared a roast, a few trimmings and a cake, and brought it to them."
3. Create memories: "After a family occasion, I send a photo of the event to those who attended to create a lasting memory."
4. Express your love: "I often put a sticky note in my husband's lunch bag telling him I love him, or I drop a couple of little candy hearts or something special like that in the bag."
5. Speak up: "I like to say, 'I saw what you did and it was really great!' or just give a quick hug and say, 'You're really important to me.' It's the words we often forget to use that are so vital to each of us."
6. Be corny: "It's corny, but I like to leave notes where I know my kids will see them during the day. I write simple things like 'I love you' or 'Ha, ha, you're in school and I'm not.'"
7. Do something unexpected: "Doing little unexpected things for a family member, friend or neighbor is always great, but doing something for someone that would never expect it is also a special joy. One time when I was at a bookstore, I noticed that the lady who waited on me was the only one working. She was really working at being pleasant even though she was overworked. I went across to a grocery store, bought a potted plant, walked back into the bookstore, handed the flowers to the lady and said, 'I hope your day gets better.' She smiled and said, 'It just did. Thank you so much.'"
8. Bake an extra batch: "I love baking, so I will often make up a 'care' package for my neighbors, who also mostly happen to be my in-laws, and drop it off unexpectedly. For example, if I'm making the cookies my niece loves, I'll drop some off for her to enjoy."
9. Listen: "Listening to people and really hearing them is a very important way of letting them know you care. Don't just listen with your ears, listen with your heart, and try to remember some of the things they have told you. For example, if a friend tells you that a family member is having an operation in two weeks, try to remember to ask if that person is recovering okay after the operation."
10. Encourage sharing: "My kids sometimes have trouble with self-esteem or problems with kids at school. I make special treat bags for them to take to school and share. It makes everyone happy."
11. Smile: "When I see someone in a store or somewhere looking grouchy, sad or just tired, I give them a great big smile and greeting. Sometimes they'll look at me like I'm nuts, but often they perk up too!"
12. Babysit: "Every few months, I plan a 'fun day' with my four-year-old cousins to give their mom a break and strengthen my relationship with the children."
13. Do for those who can't: "I go and clean for some elderly people that I know."
14. Use snail mail: "The old-fashioned post definitely makes someone's day. To send your spouse or longtime friend (even if they live in the same city or in the same house!) a funny or sweet postcard makes an instant connection. Striking or funny words are powerful but not necessary; a simple note reverberates when held in one's hand."
15. Flatter: "I give a sincere compliment."
16. Be sappy: "I send mushy emails to my kids, who are both married and living out of town. It embarrasses them a bit, but that is what mothers are for!"
17. Heal: "I've been known to go shopping then over to a sick friend's house to make homemade chicken and dumpling soup."
18. Break convention: "I send 'thinking of you' cards when there's no 'Hallmark' reason to do so. People expect cards on birthdays, anniversaries, etc. And that's great. But I like to drop a line every now and then just for the heck of it. Sometimes I send along pictures my kids have drawn, a snapshot or a newspaper clipping -- anything that says "I was thinking of you just because I like you."
19. Give light: "I buy candles for my friends. I know it sounds silly, but I think just giving someone a 'little light' makes them (and me) a bit happier."
20. Wave: "I've been known to wave at a neighbor passing by in her car, even if I don't know her."
21. Lend a hand: "I like helping someone with heavy packages or directions."
22. Offer an unexpected treat: "I call an elderly lady from church and offer to take her shopping or out to lunch."
23. Share a story: "I think my favorite way to make someone's day is to read to them. This is something I reserve for people I don't get to connect with on a daily basis. I'll just call up a long-distance friend and after chatting, say, 'This is something you have to hear ...' and read part of a magazine article or odd news tidbits to them. If the New Yorker staff only knew how happy my friends are that I have a subscription!"
24. Babysit: "Nothing lights up a friend's face more than saying, 'I'd love to watch your kids tonight so you guys can go out.'"
25. Close the distance: "When my husband traveled, I would put a 'missing you' card in his suitcase so he would find it after he got to his destination."
26. Spare a dime: "When I see a kid's bike outside a store, I put some change on the seat. I can just imagine their expressions over this 'found money.'"
27. Mend a broken heart: "I like to do things for friends when they're heartbroken. I send a card via snail mail along with a gift that is specific to that person. For example, a friend of mine was sad over a breakup with her longtime boyfriend, so I bought her a journal that had uplifting quotes on each page. This way she could write down her feelings and see positive quotes at the same time."
28. Pamper: "I gave a waiter at my favorite restaurant a gift certificate for a massage."
29. Present a pick-me-up: "I pick up small toys and gifts on clearance. Then, when my girls do something extra special or are sick, or a friend needs a pick-me-up, I just rummage through my 'stuff' and pick out a cute little something."
30. Celebrate: "The night before my roommate's birthday, I wait until she goes to sleep and then I decorate her door with balloons and streamers."
31. Be there: "When my best friend came to visit me, she insisted on taking a cab from the airport. I told her I would meet her at my apartment, but I went to the airport instead and surprised her."
32. Joke where it's least expected: "I send friends funny little e-cards that they can read at work. It's a great way to perk up someone's day at the office."
33. Turn a frown around: "I smile and wave when I see a cranky kid in a shopping cart. It usually stops the whining and puts a smile on the mom's face."
34. Straighten up: "I love to make my husband's day by making the bed each morning. I know this may sound like a small thing to those who were born organized, but for those of us who are neat-challenged, it's a big deal. I actually try to make it even when I'm running late because of the smile it puts on his face. In fact, just the other day he told me what a pleasure it was to come home to a bed that is made!"
35. Break the so-called rules: "I write a short note in lipstick on my teenage daughter's mirror to let her know how awesome I think she is!"
36. Mix up some music: "I make mix tapes for friends. When I include songs that I think they will like or know they already do like, it lets them know I'm thinking about them. They're fun projects too!"
37. Call just because: "I call my mom just to tell her I love her. Not to ask for advice, not to call her back and not to make plans for the next holiday. Just because."
38. Reconnect: "When my teenage daughter looks a bit down, it's time for a 'spa day.' I put on calming music, turn down the lights and treat her to a soothing facial and pedicure at home. It's also a great way for us to reconnect."
39. Trust the smallest gestures: "I like doing really simple things, such as paying tolls or offering change to a weary shopper who needs that extra two or three cents to avoid breaking a 20-dollar bill."
40. Show interest: "I often tear out articles from magazines or newspapers that I think my friends and family will like. I've sent everything from a biography of a Taos potter (to my parents) to education articles (to a friend who runs a charter school). It's an inexpensive way to let them know I think about them and their interests even if we don't talk frequently."
41. Check in: "If a friend is going through a crisis, I'll call in three other friends to phone that person throughout the day for fast, just-checking-on-you conversations."
42. Hold a door: "I hold open doors for people -- a woman toting children, an elderly person. It's such a little gesture, but their faces light up."
43. Say thanks: "One of the things I like to do is tell someone that I care about 'thanks for being you.'"
44. Say "we miss you": "Since my husband is a pilot, my kids and I try to hide something in his bags when he leaves for work. Sometimes it's a picture of the girls or one drawn by the girls, or sometimes a card or note from me. We've been known to hide Dad's special favorite candy too."
45. Reminisce: "If I happen upon an old email from a friend that was particularly funny or touching, I sometimes send it back to them months later just to laugh or reminisce about what was going on back then, how things have changed or how they've really stayed the same."
46. Commend a job well done: "Everyone is quick to complain about poor customer service, so when I get great service in a store or restaurant, I try to find a manager and make sure they know what a good job a particular employee has done."
47. Be grateful: "I am creating a daily journal for my husband's next birthday, telling him why I am grateful he's in my life. It will be a yearlong project. I hope it puts a big smile on his face. It makes me secretly smile as I write in it every night and realize how lucky I am to love and be loved."
48. Sing a song: "Whenever I call one of my closest friends who moved across the country, I make up a little song to leave on her machine in case she's not there. They're totally goofy rhymes to tunes like the Indiana Jones theme song or 'Sixteen Going on Seventeen' from the Sound of Music."
49. Be a friend: "If a friend is having a bad week, I call her every morning before she leaves for work and tell her I love her, she's the best, and she'll get through it."
50. Spread goofiness: "On a Post-it, I scribble the funniest version of a smiley face I can -- an X for each eye, or a jagged line in a frown, curly-cues of hair sticking out wildly -- anything to win a grin. Then I put it someplace for the person I love to discover when I'm not around."
51. Say it with chocolate: "I whip up a batch of my much-loved chocolate chip cookies and leave them for friends to find when they get home from work."
52. Pay attention: "Occasionally when I meet a friend for dinner or drinks, I make an effort to not talk about myself and my life, and focus instead solely on what's going on with my friend. Sometimes that means asking them about issues they haven't brought up in a while, their families, even dreams they've mentioned. Often I find even my closest friends think about things I'm not aware of. I end up feeling closer to them than ever and I get the sense they really feel heard."
53. Make 'em laugh: "When I think of something funny to say, I hardly ever hold back. My father, who passed away this year, was loved by his patients and colleagues for telling jokes whenever the spirit moved him. Since I inherited his sense of humor, I try to do the same -- making wise cracks in the office, saying silly things at meetings. I'm not a doctor like my father, but studies have proven that laughter has immune-boosting benefits -- so in my own way, I'm carrying on his work!"
54. Be there 24/7: "I have an it's-never-too-late-to-call rule with my closest friends. I'm happy to wake up to help them through a crisis -- and I know they'll do the same for me."
55. Initiate applause: "When a coworker does a great job, I let them know and tell others -- loudly. A little recognition goes a long way."
56. Show gratitude: "I say thank you often, and I mean it."
57. Craft: "I knit for friends or make baby clothes and give them to the hospital for new mothers. I've also made winter hats and mittens for homeless shelters."
58. Remember: "On my friends' birthdays, I try to get something that I've heard them say (in passing) they would like to have. Then, when they open the gift, it's a good feeling to know that what they had said weeks or months ago was heard and remembered."
59. Create: "I give homemade presents to people having a rough day."
60. Satisfy a craving: "Whenever I find them, I buy my husband his favorite cookies -- Mallomars."
61. Nurture on a whim: "Why do people have to be sick before we take care of them? I like to provide blankets, pillows and warm drink when necessary and not necessary! This works for friends who live alone as well as family members and children."
62. Come to the rescue: "If a friend is home with a sick child, I bring by ice cream or other goodies for the whole family. Or if a friend is overwhelmed with chores, I try to take one and do it for her."
63. Be an angel: "Since she doesn't get out of the house much, I call an older friend every day to chat. Sometimes I drop by and clean or run little errands for her."
64. Send a good thought: "I send e-cards to my mom, who thinks they are the best thing ever!"
65. Read aloud: "It just makes my son's day when I hold him and read the story of his choice before bedtime. After the story he climbs off my lap and says, 'Thank you, Momma.'"
66. Write a note: "I send real mail to friends, family or intimate partners. I just pick up a few cards -- even the 99-cent notes or postcards if money is tight -- and take a minute to write a sincere note to someone. For something that doesn't take much time, this is something my friends and family really appreciate. Just think how great you feel when you get something in the mail that isn't a bill!"
67. Keep in touch: "I've started a tradition where I go through stacks of pictures and divide them into packets for different family members. Each person gets a special note updating them on my family."
68. Plant a secret: "My secret is to put a very small toy or, for an adult, a note, inside a balloon, blow it up, tie it off, and tape it someplace for them to discover."
69. Give to givers: "My children and I have a cool gifting tradition. We make homemade cards and cookies, then put them in plain paper bags and hand them out to the Salvation Army bell ringers."
70. Go one-on-one: "My five-year-old niece loves when I use my nickname for her, so when I call her house and she answers, I ask to speak to 'Pumpkin.'"
71. Hug: "I'm known at iVillage for posting virtual hugs."
72. Say "I love you": "Telling a special person in your life that you love them every day is so important. You may think they know you love them or appreciate them, but saying the words can make both of your days that much better." 
