SCARBOROUGH – Now through the end of December, the Scarborough Police Department is accepting donations of paper snowflakes containing a positive message or quote, acknowledgement of the public service provided by police officers and the support staff or simply a smiley face or other drawing.

The snowflakes will decorate the lobby at the police station and help cheer up the place for the winter months, according to crime analyst Jaime Higgins, who came up with the idea for the snowflake project.

This week Higgins said, “I was thinking of something positive we could do to counteract all the negative media attention on law enforcement right now.”

She added, “For some reason snowflakes came to mind, probably because I was shoveling the walkway at the time. Winter can (also) be depressing for a lot of people, but unlike the snow that falls from the sky, these snowflakes will hopefully bring a smile to everyone.”

Higgins then did some further research and discovered that Dec. 21 is Look on the Bright Side Day, which is celebrated worldwide, and that Dec. 27 is national Make Cut Out Snowflake Day.

According to its website, Look on the Bright Side Day, which is observed during the winter solstice – the shortest day of the year – is designed as a day for people to be purposefully optimistic.

Make Cut Out Snowflake Day is designed as a way to bring families together, and according to its Facebook page, it’s a “great way to celebrate the festive season and winter in general. Here’s a day to show your crafty skills, as you make paper snowflakes. Making cut out snowflakes is a great project. You don’t have to be a kid to have fun making paper snowflakes. It’s a skill that is practiced by many people.”

Higgins said another reason the snowflake project appealed to her, once she got the idea, is that there is “so much negativity in our world right now. It’s on the news, on social media and in face-to-face conversations.”

She said, “Bad news spreads like wildfire, but many of the good deeds being done aren’t spoken about or aren’t shared. Sometimes it takes extra effort to be positive, or stay positive. This is one way we can make the conscious decision to spread happiness and not hate. Smiling is contagious.”

Higgins said she hopes people of all ages will get on board and create paper snowflakes for the police department to showcase.

“It (only) takes a few minutes to make a snowflake and write a message. It’s a good opportunity for parents to spend time with their children talking about good deeds, being optimistic and paying forward kindness,” she added.

Although this is the first time the police department in Scarborough has done a project like this, Higgins is hopeful that if it catches on it could be a tradition the department could continue in years to come.

The police department announced the snowflake project on its Facebook page last week and Higgins said so far the station has received more than two-dozen snowflakes.

When asked if she had a favorite, Higgins said, “Each one was made out of the kindness of someone’s heart, so I don’t have a favorite, I like all of them.”

A closer look

The Scarborough Police Department will hang paper snowflakes, containing positive messages, in its lobby this winter. To contribute, drop off snowflakes in person or mail to: Scarborough Police Department, c/o Snowflake Project, 246 U.S. Route 1, Scarborough, Maine, 04074.

Paper snowflakes