Every year in the first full week of August something incredible happens. All across the world, kale sales skyrocket, superheroes walk the streets, and random acts of kindness abound. "What on Earth," asks the bewildered public, "are you doing?" "GISHWHES," the madmen reply as they caper about in dresses made of leaves carrying portraits made of jelly beans, "we're doing GISHWHES!" You may be wondering at this point what exactly GISHWHES is.
GISHWHES is the Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen! Founded in 2011 by "Supernatural" actor Misha Collins, GISHWHES is an annual weeklong scavenger hunt extravaganza. People of all ages around the world sign up and form teams of people they know or are connected with a team of new friends. At the beginning of the week, a list of items worth varying amounts of points is released and the teams compete to complete as many of the items as they can, submitting pictures and videos as proof. At the end of the week, the submitted items are judged and the points tallied. The team with the most points is declared the winner and gets to go on an exotic adventure with Misha.
The list of items is meant to encourage random acts of kindness, artistic self-expression, and stepping out of comfort zone of everyday normal routine. In addition to promoting and encouraging acts of kindness, the registration fees for the hunt go to benefit Misha Collins' charity Random Acts .
GISHWHES is truly a phenomenon. The items range from to bringing baked goods to your local fire department to dressing your parents up as their childhood heroes to suspending a hammock across a river! It is an experience not to be missed. GISHWHES invites you to again revel in the carefree joy of childhood. In the midst of this scavenger hunt, you will do things you never imagined yourself doing. You will find people willing to go out of their way to help, whether it be in artistically depicting the meaning of love or filming a movie trailer for a pot roast (no kidding).
Yes, the whole thing is a little bizarre.
But so is life sometimes -- real life is odd but beautiful. And we tend to forget that beauty when we get caught up in the interminable routine of work, weekend, obligations, lather, rinse, repeat. GISHWHES reminds us that sometimes you need to dance in the rain or bury yourself in popcorn. Sometimes you need to tell people how much they matter to you and how appreciated and loved they are. Sometimes you need to just throw out all your expectations for normal life and do something spontaneous and brave. That's what GISHWHES is all about. Even if you only do it once you will remember the experience for the rest of your life. So what are you waiting for? Go to Gishwhes.com now and register!
