Happy Holidays, friends 👋

We're doing something a little different this week. Smileworthy usually lands in your inbox on Fridays – but it felt wrong to send a Christmas edition the day after Christmas. So here we are, a day early, while the coffee's brewing and the wrapping paper's still everywhere.

This one's packed with good stuff – landlords spreading joy, tiny humans in even tinier sweaters, and communities showing up for each other in ways that actually matter.

We'll be back on Fridays in the new year. But for now, grab a mince pie and settle in.

Merry Christmas 🎄

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Feel good stories from Happilynews.com guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Missy Waller wasn't expecting much when her landlord, Travis Johnson, asked her to step outside her home. What came next stopped her in her tracks.

"He was like, 'Come outside.' And when I came outside, he said, 'Y'all ain't gotta bring rent for November and December,'" Waller recalled.

She needed him to say it again. "You mean literally you don't have to pay anything?" And it was only then that it finally sunk in. "I just jumped for joy."

Johnson, 33, is a Portsmouth, Virginia, native who now lives in Houston. He rents out 12 homes in his hometown, and he'd decided to surprise his tenants by waiving rent for the final two months of the year. The gesture came from somewhere personal – he's been on the other side of that monthly scramble, and he hasn't forgotten what it felt like.

"I know what it's like to have a housing crisis and instability when it comes to rent, because I myself have struggled in the past," Johnson said. "That's what inspired me to give my tenants free rent for the holidays."

For Waller – who moved into her home several months ago and has a son in college –the timing landed exactly when she needed it most.

Johnson has been quietly helping people with rent for the past eight years. But this year, he decided to do it differently. "This year, I just decided to show the positivity in it, because it's so much negativity going on in the world and on social media," he said. "So I want to give light. I want to give hope and let people know that all these things still exist and (there's) still good people left out there."

An Instagram video of him surprising a Portsmouth tenant earlier this month went viral. He’s now transformed that following into a new "housing hero" movement.

His goal is to help people cover rent before they ever reach the point of facing eviction. So far, he's helped half a dozen tenants in Portsmouth and Norfolk, with amounts ranging from a few hundred dollars to rents around $1,500.

The funds come from his own pocket and he now wants to take it nationwide.

"Whether you're a client of ours, an employee of ours, or even if you're not, we're going to always pay it forward," Johnson said. "That's our motto."

Johnson said he'd "love to gift as many months of rent to families in need on a national scale and encourage everyone in all 50 states to sign up." He's seeking sponsors to expand his program’s reach beyond what he can fund himself. Families interested in potential assistance can contact [email protected].

"I've done this out of the kindness of my heart," he said. "God has blessed me, and I believe being a blessing to other people is what he put us here on Earth for. I just want everyone to pay it forward. Anyone who's in a position to pay it forward, I encourage, I challenge you to just pay it forward."

For this Christmas special, we're doing something a little different. Instead of our usual roundup of feel-good stories, we're shining a spotlight on some truly remarkable community initiatives spreading joy this holiday season.

USPS Operation Santa — Making Wishes Come True, One Letter at a Time
For 113 years, the U.S. Postal Service has connected children's letters to Santa with generous strangers willing to fulfil their wishes. This year, volunteers can adopt entire family letters – so everyone in a household gets remembered. Letters come from kids asking for everything from Disney dolls to bicycles, and every gift ships anonymously – because it's from Santa, after all. (Read more 👉 USPSOperationSanta.com)

Toys for Tots — Marines on a Mission for 78 Years
What started with 5,000 toys in Los Angeles in 1947 has become one of America's most recognised holiday drives. Last Christmas, the Marine Corps Reserve distributed over 30 million toys to nearly 13 million children. Since its founding, the programme has delivered 708 million toys to 314 million kids – and Walt Disney designed the iconic red train logo. (Read more 👉 ToysForTots.org)

Be a Santa to a Senior — Because Everyone Deserves to Be Remembered
Now in its 20th year, Home Instead's programme matches volunteers with older adults who might otherwise spend the holidays alone. Donors pick ornament tags from participating stores – each listing a senior's simple wish, like slippers, hand lotion, or a puzzle book. Since launching, the programme has delivered more than 2.5 million gifts across North America. (Read more 👉 HomeInstead.com)

The Salvation Army Angel Tree — Adopting Angels Across America
Each holiday season, the Angel Tree programme puts new clothes and toys under the tree for more than one million children who might otherwise go without. Donors "adopt" an angel by selecting a tag listing a child's name, age, and wish list from participating Walmart stores. Anonymous donors help ensure no child is forgotten on Christmas morning. (Read more 👉 SalvationArmyUSA.org)

Philly Goat Project's Christmas Tree-Cycle — Your Tree Becomes a Goat's Treat
Wondering what to do with your Christmas tree after the holidays? In Philadelphia, a herd of goats is waiting to eat it. The Philly Goat Project's annual Tree-Cycle Festivals—now in their eighth year—invite residents to drop off their evergreens for a $20 donation. The 13 goats munch through over 600 trees each season, with leftovers chipped into mulch for city parks. (Read more 👉 PhillyGoatProject.org)

Community Christmas Dinner — From 500 Meals to 13,000
What began after Hurricane Hugo devastated the coast in 1989 has grown into a beloved tradition. This year, over 300 volunteers are preparing 13,000 free meals across 13 locations—from Andrews to Tabor City, North Carolina. Founder Janice Ash Sialiano started with 500 meals for people who had nowhere to go. Now, 37 years later, the community dinner ensures thousands of neighbours share a warm Christmas meal together. (Read more 👉 WBTW)

Smileworthy is a labour of love – we’re a small team on a mission to make your inbox a little brighter each week. We work across both Smileworthy and Happily, telling positive stories from around the world. We don't run ads or charge subscriptions, which means we rely on readers like you to keep this thing going.

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No pressure, no guilt – just gratitude. Thank you for being here.

A unique, sometimes quirky, but always eye-catching photo feature each week.

One sweater features a snowman. Another, a gingerbread man missing a few bites. They have to be the cutest Xmas sweaters ever conceived.

The babies in Cleveland Clinic Children's NICU are marking their first Christmas in handmade "ugly" sweaters – a joint effort by nurses, caregivers, and parents to bring some holiday joy to families navigating an otherwise difficult season.

Casey and Tyler Graber's daughter Ava has spent more than 100 days in the hospital since her birth. "It was the perfect mix of sweetness and fun," they said. "It's a memory we'll share with family and Ava for years to come."

Each family gets to keep their baby's outfit – felt sweaters, crocheted hats, and all.

Good news doesn’t just live in your inbox. Our merch lets you carry it into school runs, coffee shops and lazy Sundays. When you shop, you’re backing the team that finds and tells the stories.

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Before the gift-opening frenzy begins, take 15 minutes to sit quietly with your morning coffee or tea – no phones (once you’ve finished reading Smileworthy, of course!), no distractions. Research shows that starting high-stimulus days with a moment of calm helps you stay present and actually enjoy the chaos instead of just surviving it.

— C.S. Lewis

Many people’s favorite carol, “Jingle Bells,” written in 1857, was actually written for thanksgiving and was called “on horse open sleigh!”

1: The first Christmas according to calendar0maker and Eastern Roman monk Dionysius Exiguus

1888: Vincent van Gogh cuts off part of his left ear with a razor after an argument with fellow painter Paul Gaugi

1860: First ever inter-club soccer match takes place in Sheffield between Sheffield F.C. and Hallam F.C., who win 2-0

1954: First successful human kidney transplant is performed at a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts

Which word in the English language is…

…most often pronounced incorrectly?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter

*Studies show that watching heartwarming videos can boost your mood. So sit back and start your weekend positively - doctors orders!

🧠 Brain Teaser Answer

Incorrectly

(Think literally)