CHRISTMAS is the season of giving; full of presents and festive treats.

Plenty of people love giving and receiving gifts from those close to them, but one family make sure that in the lead up to Christmas, as many people as possible are treated to a Random Act of Christmas Kindness (RACKs).

Hayley Upton and her daughters Verity (aged 12) and Trudy (aged 8) from Southbourne have made it their mission over the past five years to give back to other people every day before Christmas.

This year was no exception, with a variety of 25 acts performed last month by the girls and her family.

Hayley said: "RACKs has now become our Christmas tradition. The girls come up with most of the ideas."

The acts of kindness include making Christmas hampers (with help from various companies) for families in need, leaving scratch cards on car windscreens, delivering doughnuts to fire stations and sticking candy canes on ATMs for people to find.

Lorraine Knott, a trainee nurse from Southbourne, was one of the strangers Verity and Trudy positively impacted with RACKs.

Lorraine received a selection pack from Trudy on Day 4 of the scheme, with the intention of that day being to 'make strangers smile'.

Lorraine said: "I had just finished a night shift with no break and turned up at my GP surgery for my appointment. It was there that Trudy and her mum overheard me talking about how difficult my shift was. The next thing I knew, Trudy gave me a selection pack and said 'Thank you for everything you do'. I was so overwhelmed".

Lorraine was extremely touched by the gesture and shared her story and chocolates at work.

A month on, the gesture still makes Lorraine smile and made her realise how important small acts of kindness can be.

She explained: "Random acts of kindness teach people important lessons and it really made my day. I lost my dad in July and my husband has been working in the Caribbean for the past seven months, so this little act of kindness means such a lot. I hadn't felt that happy in a long time."

Seeing people's reactions to Verity and Trudy's acts of kindness is one of the things that makes it all worthwhile for Hayley.

She explained: "The fact that RACKs brightens people's days makes the girls so happy.

"It makes me feel really proud of them knowing that they acknowledge the importance of kindness and the fact there are people less fortunate than us."

The family maintain their Random Acts of Kindness throughout the year by donating to foodbanks and helping the homeless, amongst other things.

Make sure to keep your eye out during the 2020 festive period for two young girls who's intentions are to make many people happy with Random Acts of Christmas Kindness.