Last year we tried something new and did 24 Random Acts of Christmas Kindness as our advent calendar! It was such a wonderful experience that we are doing it again this year and I encourage you to join in too. It’s much easier than you think!
We brainstormed kindness ideas before December and then chose the ones that best fit into our week that week. I am a firm believer that small intentional acts of kindness {and really good coffee!} can change the world and think even small acts and young kids can have a big impact.
If 24 acts of kindness during December seems like too much then start with 5 or 10 or whatever will work for you. I bet you’ll be surprised at how many you are able to do once you get going. Here’s our list of RACKs (Random Acts of Christmas Kindness) from last year to get you started!
24 Random Acts of Christmas Kindness
- Give up your spot in line.
- Donate money to an organization you participate in.
- Pay for someone else’s coffee.
- Send cards to service men and women.
- Tell jokes to make someone smile.
- Donate food to your food bank.
- Donate pet supplies to the shelter.
- Help someone do a chore or other job.
- Do yard work or shovel for a neighbor.
- Donate books you no longer need.
- Pick up litter.
- Donate to a charity (last year we picked Alzheimer’s Cures)
- Leave a popcorn surprise for strangers to find.
- Donate toys to a children’s hospital.
- Donate a pair of new pajamas for foster kids.
- Put money in the Salvation Army bucket.
- Make get well cards for someone who needs them.
- Bring coffee to your teachers.
- Make holiday decorations for others.
- Donate meals to No Kid Hungry.
- Make ornaments for your neighbors.
- Donate new toys to Toys for Tots.
- Feed the birds.
- Candy cane bomb a parking lot.
We have some new Random Acts of Christmas Kindness on our list this year that we can’t wait to share with you! In the meantime you can read all of our Acts of Kindness posts or check out my Acts of Kindness for Kids {and You!} Pinterest board. Make sure to share any that you do this year too!
We now have a free printable Random Acts of Christmas Kindness Advent calendar you can download to do with your kids too!
And a free printable RACK countdown chain you can download and use with your kids–doing acts of kindness has never been easier!
I love it when people stop and think of others and show kindness. So important to teach that lesson to kids!
So true Maggy! Kindness really does matter.
I love the idea of this kind of Advent calendar and have passed it on to all my facebook friends, the High school where I used to teach, the Primary school teachers who were with their classes at the swimming baths yesterday, a lady in the library and I have also challenged my husband’s grandchildren to take it up. They are 11 and 15 and Amanda (aged 15 said she loves the idea and is going to challenge some of her friends to do this. It doesn’t have to be restricted to children though – I will be doing it myself and keeping a journal.
YES! Everyone can do it! So true!!!! I’d love for you to report back how it goes! It sounds like it will be AMAZING!!!!!
Showing kindness to others is important.
I agree Cassie! Thanks so much!
I love these! It doesn’t take much time or effort to make someone’s day (and the lessons the little ones learn are priceless!)
Yes! Simple acts definitely can make a big impact!
Great ideas, Megan! I plan to do a round up of Advent ideas next week for Afterschool and will certainly include your post!
Thank you so much!!!
I love these! So nice and simple. Thank you for keeping them at a reasonable number, too. You are going to have to help my imagination with the Candy Cane Bombing of a Parking Lot, however. I have some ideas, but I’d love to hear what you intended! Thanks!
Last year we printed out a TON of the RACK cards I have on my site and taped candy canes to them and put them on all the cars in a parking lot on Christmas Eve! It was lots of FUN! It was too late to post about it but is one of the first ones we are doing this year so there will be a post about it soon too!
What a beautiful way to teach kids about kindness. TY for sharing!
Thank you! We have loved doing it so much!
I love your advent countdown! Your ideas are wonderful. Happy Thanksgiving, Kelly
Thanks Kelly! We have lots of fun with it! Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
Thank you! I was excited to do it but it was even better than I imagined!
What a fantastic idea, Megan! Our kids love this idea, and we’re on it for this year’s Advent calendar. They are especially stoked about the “Candy Cane Bomb a Parking Lot” idea. LOL This will be a memorable Advent season, for sure. Thanks for all these fantastic ways to help our kids show kindness! 🙂
Yay! You are going to have so much FUN!!!! I can’t wait to hear about the things you do!
Wow. This is a great idea!
Forgive those who have done you wrong..
That is a great act of kindness Kathleen!
I liked your Random Acts of Kindness so much that I included them in my post, 25 DAYS OF ZEN (HOLIDAY EDITION). http://zenshmen.blogspot.ca/2013/12/25-days-of-zen-holiday-edition.html Thanks for sharing, and happy holidays 🙂
What a lovely idea! My family will try your suggestion this year with 24 random acts of kindness. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks Vickie! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
What a fabulous idea, I always make our own advent bags with activities in, a few of which are activities to help others but the children are really excited about this so we are going for it….. Can’t wait to candy cane bomb a car park lol…… Thanks so much! 🙂
That is fantastic! And the candy cane bombing is soooooo fun!!! You feel like a secret spy the whole time!
You are awesome
It really is just as fun for us to do!!! 🙂
I absolutely LOVE this idea!! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful way to get our kids involved. 🙂
Thanks Jody!!!! It really has made the whole season so much brighter for us!
I love your attitude.
What a neat idea! I’m linking to this page of yours in one of my upcoming posts. Hope you see some new visitors your way!
Thank you so much Lisa!!!
Trying to think of some more ideas that we as a low income family can do , giving of ourselves rather than materialistic items. A lot of the ideas are gears to for families that have rather than have not. We are going to do the Jars of appreciation for each family( 20 things I love about “Nana’ Papa, Mommy writtin on little slips of paper ) Passing on a smile, singing to neighbors, shovel snow if there is any, More things from the heart ya know rather than from the pocket book. Any ideas would be amazing for my amazing family.
Holding doors open for others, leaving a note for a family member on a mirror, and letting someone go ahead of you in line are all good too! Even writing your mail carrier a thank you note and drawing a special picture for the fire fighters would work too! Love you are making it work for your family!!!!
I got RACK’d on Monday with a candy cane card, parked outside of my therapist’s office. It genuinely improved my day as I found it between leaving an emotional session and going to visit a relative who recently had a stroke. It means so much that someone took the time to do that, and if they see this, thank you to the RACKer near Spring and Maple. You gave me a smile when I needed it most.
How awesome!!!! Hugs to you! 🙂
And nik says this made their day on way to going to visit someone in need……a huge act of loving kindness…..hugs to nik
Thank you for this post. This is a lovely idea and will add so much to the Spirit of Christmas.
My Mother taught me to be kind and polite, so I already do a lot of these things ‘automatically’. It is usually natural for me to hold the door for others, say to a stranger “I love your haircut” or a compliment, to give my place in line, take back money if checker at store gave me back too much, and I have my Mother to thank for this blessing in life
…….thus have challenged myself to find 24 ways to increase kindness to others. Please do not think I’m ‘bragging on myself’……..I’m thanking my Mom for her love and teachings….she was one of the kindest people I have ever known.
How wonderful! Mothers can have such a positive influence–just think of how her teaching has magnified over the years! Amazing!
I feed the birds to day at the park
Great ideas! I love how simple they are to understand and carry out!
I know this will be a bit long for a comment, but I hope it blesses your audience!
How to improve your holidays by RAOK! A great boost to your life!
RAOK stands for “Random Acts Of Kindness”. Our grown daughter in Arkansas was part of an exciting ladies event that took the place of their traditional “Holiday Party”.
Be sure you reply and give me your ideas for this wonderful special activity!
Theses ladies took the money their church gives for the sisters to get together each year and they did something extra special; they made a huge number of other people “richer”, but not just with a few dollars here and there.
In bullet form I will list out some of the activities they had fun doing: (there is a lot more to each point, I am simply giving the highlights to generate some ideas for you this year – free examples follow this list)
They paid $50.49 at Wal-Mart layaway on a kids bike (the 49 cents was because they were told there needs to be at least a penny left to keep it in layaway)
They gave a cook at a small coffee-shop style restaurant a $30 tip. The reason they choose the cook is because another group of their ladies had just come by and paid everyone’s check and gave the server a sizable tip
They helped a man drive across the state to a friends because some domestic violence where he was staying got a bit more intense then he could handle. He told Kristen that he did not know how he would get to his destination until these ladies gave him the money. A couple of the ladies in the car gave a few extra dollars when they found out his plight.
They paid for a car at McDonald’s, to find out it was a BMW! Then the driver of the BMW decided to pay it forward and paid for the next two cars in line! The ladies were very excited to see they had actually blessed three customers.
They took coffee and homemade cookies to the firehouse (at 7:30 PM) to say thank you for their serving. You could include the police, a hospital, nursing home, ???
They did these all in one night with a bit of creative juices flowing to bless others!
Additional ideas that require no money (or almost none) could include:
Sending a card to someone you know, who has extra problems this time of year due to losing a loved one or some other personal trauma.
Going to visit someone who is alone or a couple who cannot travel.
Use your laptop, tablet or cell phone to bless an older couple who may not have technology to connect with a family member in another state or country.
Use your laptop, tablet or cell phone to get a family in touch with a service member in their family who is overseas on deployment.
Make a phone call to someone who is “under the weather” and shut in.
Pick up a person’s groceries or a prescription for a friend. Some pharmacies provide this service and yet some do not.
Make a CD of special songs for someone and give it to them.
Give a “Thank You!” card to your first responders – fire, police, EMT, hospital staff, ???
Give a “Thank You! card to service men and women.
This is not free – pay for a meal for one of the two lists above.
Help a friend do some shopping or run errands.
Babysit for a couple who struggles to find adequate care for their children.
There are tons of innovative ideas to choose from. The most important concept is to try some of these or invent your own, just give this a try and feel how wonderful it is to share yourself with other persons in a non-threatening fashion.
Be sure to share your ideas with us!
Always Expect The Best In Your Marriage since The Best Is Yet To Be!!!
Your Friends — Jerry & Elaine Stumpf
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LOVE this so much! These are all fabulous ideas!
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Love this idea! As a teacher, I can definitely see the impact of small gestures like these on a child’s holiday season. It’s great to see the kids involved in the giving process and creating their own unique gifts. Thanks for sharing!
Little things can make a big impact!!!
I agree!!!!