Want to know the secret to having a happier and more stress-free holiday season?
Don’t worry, it’s not hiding out in your room until January.
Black Friday shopping announcements, toy commercials, and holiday events are already everywhere. This is the time of year when your already too long to do list keeps getting longer and longer.
I’m right there with you, even knowing what I know, I’ve already over-committed myself this November. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of being too busy because during the holidays there are so many thing you genuinely want to do. But then one day you find yourself trying not to look at your calendar because seeing it so full gives you heart palpitations.
Which is why what I’m going to tell you may be hard to believe at first. The secret to enjoying your holidays is actually adding in another family activity each day–an act of kindness.
Countdown to Christmas with Kindness
We started counting down to Christmas with kindness a couple years ago and were shocked by how much of an impact it had. Looking forward to connecting as a family each day by doing good completely changed our perspective. And was a lot of fun!
Our first year of RACKs (Random Acts of Christmas Kindness) was not very organized. We just made sure to do something, no matter how small, each day. There was very little pressure in this method because there were no “rules” to stick to. But there were some really fun RACKs we never got to because we weren’t organized enough.
The next year we brainstormed acts of kindness we wanted to do and created a list of 24 RACKs to choose from and that worked so well we got fancy and created a printable acts of kindness advent calendar. I’m the first to admit that we did not completely stick to the calendar, there were many days we went out of order. We just marked off each act of kindness as we did it. There is no one way to do Christmas acts of kindness!
Want to use this RACK’d card too? Finish reading and then click here to find out how!
Why Do Acts of Kindness?
The thing about kindness is that the cliche is true. It really is a gift for both the giver and the receiver. A gift that is amplified when you join together and do it as a group. Families, classes, youth groups, book clubs coming together and intentionally doing acts of kindness bonds and connects the members.
Widespread kindness makes a community feel happier. That’s why we share feel good stories and sappy commercials–we crave the sweetness that kindness brings to life.
So this year clear your schedule for kindness. It doesn’t have to take long or be overly involved to count. I believe that small intentional acts of kindness, and really good coffee, can change the world. It certainly will make yours brighter!
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This photo is copyrighted and may not be used without permission from Coffee Cups and Crayons.
2015 Kindness Advent Calendar
This year I’m sharing two printable Random Acts of Christmas Kindness Calendars–the updated 2015 one and a blank version you can fill out yourself. I also have a December Kindness Calendar for those of you who don’t celebrate Christmas. You get to choose the option that work best for you!
Printable Kindness Calendar for Christmas
DOWNLOAD —> 2015 Random Acts of Kindness Calendar*
This option has 24 acts of kindness on it that you can use as an advent calendar. Either follow along day by day or mark off the ones you do as you do them. You can also follow along each day on Facebook. I post each days RACK first thing in the morning. Readers can then share photos or comment with what they did and cheer each other on. It’s so much fun!
Blank Kindness Calendar for Christmas
DOWNLOAD —> 2015 Blank Random Acts of Christmas Kindness Calendar*
Create your own acts of kindness advent calendar. You can either brainstorm ideas and create your own calendar ahead of time or use it to record whatever act you did that day. We have a big list of RACK ideas to get you started!
Printable December Kindness Calendar
DOWNLOAD —> December Kindness Calendar*
I had plans to create kindness resources for those celebrate holidays other than Christmas or don’t celebrate anything at all, but have not had time to finish them. I know many of you are anxious to get planning so instead of keeping you waiting I’ve created a 3rd version of the countdown calendar for you to use. It stops on December 24th like the other one, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop there. Fill in the rest of the month with your own acts of kindness. I have a huge list of 100 Acts of Kindness for Kids to get you started!
Looking for the latest version? Click here for the 2017 Random Acts of Christmas Kindness Calendar
*Calendars may be used for personal or classroom use only.
Kindness Calendar Resources
Some of the acts of kindness on this year’s calendar may be new to you. Here are some links to help you figure out what’s what!
- Make a Card for a Soldier
- Send a Hug to someone you love
- Give a Hug Coupon
- Leave a Happy Note or Kindness Stone for someone to find
- Do Yard Work for a Neighbor
- Candy Cane Bomb a Parking Lot
- Leave a Popcorn Surprise on a DVD rental machine
- 24 Random Acts of Christmas Kindness
Join us in counting down to Christmas with random acts of kindness! Use this time of year to do good and connect with the important people in your life. The reward is a more joyful and less stress-filled holiday season for you and those around you!
Bonus Christmas Kindness Idea
If following a calendar is not your thing we’ve got another idea for you. Create a kindness chain–it’s a great way to see how much good you’ve done. You can even do both, check it off on the calendar and add a link to your chain. Or choose a chain link to do and record it on the blank calendar. Do whatever works for you–kindness rocks no matter how you organize it!
Krissy says
November 11, 2015 at 8:52 pmHey there! I love your RACK idea! I’d love to do something like this with a group of friends! No need for me to reinvent the wheel though, could you email me the “you’ve been rack’d” template by chance? Thank you so much!
Megan Sheakoski says
November 12, 2015 at 3:02 pmHi Krissy! I added the link underneath for you! 🙂
Laura says
November 23, 2015 at 10:48 amI cannot find the link for the calander? Would you be able to send this to me?
Really want to do it with my son!
xx
Megan Sheakoski says
November 29, 2015 at 10:53 pmGo to the 2015 Kindness Calendar section above and click on the link for whichever calendar works best for you!
stacy says
December 2, 2015 at 2:10 pmI printed the act of kindness calendar a week or so ago but I gae the only copy that I had to my grandson. I’m trying to find it to print again, but when I click on the link, it just goes straight to this comments board. Will you please be so kind as to help me find a way to print it again.
Thank you
Stacy HUmphrey
Megan Sheakoski says
December 3, 2015 at 9:43 amHi Stacy! Go to the 2015 Advent Calendar section of the post. Look for DOWNLOAD and choose which calendar you’d like. Click on that link to print. 🙂
Laurie says
December 17, 2015 at 6:47 pmI can’t find the link either. It just opens up this same page in a new tab.
Megan Sheakoski says
December 21, 2015 at 9:53 pmDo you have Adobe Acrobat downloaded? It’s a PDF so you’ll need Acrobat to be able to print it. 🙂
amie says
November 13, 2015 at 5:13 amThanks for this! I used your calendar last year with my children and we all really enjoyed it! It made me feel like I was helping them to see that there is more to Christmas than getting presents. We’ll be using it again this year!
Megan Sheakoski says
November 13, 2015 at 2:08 pmYAY!!!!!!!!
Denine says
November 15, 2015 at 8:16 amTerrific idea, I’m going to use this with my class. We are going to do random acts of kindness at school each day. I usually do something like this after Christmas sort of as a new year resolution but I love the idea even better before Christmas. It will get their minds off all they get and onto what they can do. Thanks!
Megan Sheakoski says
November 15, 2015 at 4:04 pmYay!
Leah says
November 15, 2015 at 1:31 pmCan’t wait to share this with my kids
Sara says
November 15, 2015 at 2:39 pmWe did this last year. My boys loved it at 3 and 6….I am soooo excited to do this again this year especially now that they are a year older. This is such a great resource…Thank you so much for taking the time to make this. These acts of kindness are so vital as we are all trying to raise our children…Thank you!!!
Brigid finucane says
November 16, 2015 at 9:29 amI love the idea of the calendar. Is there any way you can also include a Chanukah calendar? I work at two wonderful Jewish Day Schools that would love this, but can’t use it as is.
Megan Sheakoski says
November 16, 2015 at 10:32 amBrigid I am working on one this week!!! Any requests?
Megan Sheakoski says
November 20, 2015 at 12:53 pmBrigid I don’t have time to finish it this year in time for it to be useful. I’ve updated the post with a December Kindness Calendar this year instead so everyone for doesn’t celebrate Christmas can use it. Next year I’ll have even more resources!
Lynn says
November 16, 2015 at 12:06 pmThank you Megan. Love your ideas. My sister-in-law posted your info on facebook. Thank you, thank you. You are performing an act of kindness through sharing with each and every one of us. Merry Christmas to you and your family!! Lynn
Megan Sheakoski says
November 16, 2015 at 12:51 pmThank you so much! Merry Christmas to you!
Sandy SMITH says
November 16, 2015 at 1:00 pmPls send the Advent Calendar to my email address so I can print. Can’t print from FB.
Megan Sheakoski says
November 29, 2015 at 10:55 pmHi Sandy! There are links in this post to print it. Scroll up and choose whichever calendar will work best for you!
Michele says
November 16, 2015 at 2:15 pmWhat a great idea. Put a link to this article on my “Holiday Help 2015” page on my blog. Thank you and God bless you.
joyce says
November 16, 2015 at 4:40 pmwow, this looks like such a great idea. i’m excited to try it this year. thanks for sharing the download links, too.
Julie Budd says
November 18, 2015 at 8:13 amI am having trouble downloading the 2015 calendar. Any suggestions?
Megan Sheakoski says
November 18, 2015 at 8:52 amDo you have Adobe Acrobat installed? It’s a PDF so that may help! 🙂
kathy says
November 30, 2015 at 2:52 pmI can’t down load the template. Can you send to my e-0mail please.
Megan Sheakoski says
December 1, 2015 at 1:32 pmHi Kathy! It’s a PDF so you need to have Adobe Acrobat to open it. Hope that helps!
Bryna says
November 18, 2015 at 5:00 pmI love this idea so much! I teach at a K-12 independent school and decided to share your link with the staff. I have a calendar up on my classroom door now, and my middle school students think its a great idea too! Several of them are already planning things to do. At the lower school Community Connections (service club) meeting today, they passed out a copy of your calendar. I also shared your link with a number of friends who work at other independent schools in town. Thanks so much for your great idea!
Marcie Weilerm says
November 18, 2015 at 6:30 pmAdvent is 4 Sundays before Christmas. It begins on November 29th this year. It’s not “just” 24 days.
Megan Sheakoski says
November 19, 2015 at 10:08 pmOh Marcie you are totally right! I’ll note that for next year!
Claire says
November 20, 2015 at 2:01 pmI LOVE this, would it be possible for me to link to it from my blog and share etc, it’s just beautiful xx
Megan Sheakoski says
November 21, 2015 at 5:14 pmYou can share the link on your blog–thanks!
Mary rose says
November 22, 2015 at 5:11 amGetting teens to do anything is like pulling teeth. Thank you for this. I am going to make out a calendar similar and use the 12 days of Christmas as a model for three teen grandchildren to do acts of kindness for 12 days. As a senior, acts of kindness to us are: holding the door for us at restaurants, malls, Church or anywhere there is a door. Taking in a trash can from the curb up to their garage. Make and bring a small plate of cookies to an elderly person or to a shut in. Using their own money buy a toy for a child in need at Christmas and donate this. Smile at an elderly person and say good morning or good afternoon to someone on the street or at the Mall. Volunteer at a food bank by sorting out donations. Give Mama a hug. Little things like this, seniors think they have won the lottery as these acts of kindness from young people is better than winning the lottery. It does our heart good.
julie says
November 24, 2015 at 7:03 amI love your Kindness Advent Calendar.Your calendar has a disclaimer saying may not be shared without permission. I would like to share it with my 3rd grade CCD class. Would you be ok with that?
Megan Sheakoski says
November 24, 2015 at 12:33 pmYep! 🙂
julie says
November 24, 2015 at 7:06 amNevermind. I read further and saw classroom use is ok. Thank you for the wonderful ideas!
Velma Doerksen says
November 24, 2015 at 11:16 amThis idea makes me wish I had youngsters in my life!
I’ll be linking to this page on my Facebook business page this week, but can I also post one day at a time throughout December (including the link each day)?
Megan Sheakoski says
November 24, 2015 at 12:32 pmHi Velma! I’m glad you love it! 🙂 And you can share it from my Facebook page everyday if you’d like!
Dahn says
November 24, 2015 at 4:03 pmHI Megan,
I would love to post an article on our site about your random acts of kindness calendar 2015. I am currently writing a post and would love to include your idea, which i think is terrific..
All attribution would be highlighted, and links to download your calendar would be made available, providing you give permission and that you are okay with that. Let us know how you feel about that.
Thanks,
Kind regards
Dahn Blanchard
Megan Sheakoski says
November 24, 2015 at 10:18 pmHi Dahn! Linking to the post is totally fine as long as you don’t link directly to the PDF. I’m so happy you are excited about RACKs! 🙂
Dahn says
November 27, 2015 at 8:43 pmOh, that’s wonderful, yes thanks for that. It totally relates to what we are doing at Great Parenting Ideas and we are happy to share all our links.
We will be doing an activity page real soon on our site so I can add your link to the same post as well.
Plus if you could like our facebook page and we will do the same for our facebook page too that would also be wonderful! Thank you so much.
Here is our facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/Great-Parenting-Ideas-761619783950787/
kind regards,
Dahn Blanchard
KD Bender says
December 1, 2015 at 10:37 amHi Meg! I’m adapting your ideas to use with all my kiddos (K-5) this year at school. I know I’m too late for this year, but next year, please consider a “you’ve been Rack’d” card that stands for “Random Acts of Classroom Kindness” or even just a “RAK’d” card. Personally, I’d love a template with a spot for the kids to write a note…I’m going to see what I can do 🙂 Yours are just so pretty!! Love your calendar and ideas! You’re a RACKstar 🙂
Megan Sheakoski says
December 1, 2015 at 1:30 pmHi KD! Thank you so much!!!! 🙂 I have a bunch of stuff in the works, but in the meantime maybe one of these two cards would work: https://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/100-acts-kindness-challenge-week-2/ or https://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/52-weeks-of-random-acts-of-kindness/. I may be able to change the year on the second choice fairly easily and add it to that post if you’d like. Let me know! 🙂
Cindy Zacharias says
December 2, 2015 at 8:11 amI love this idea! I don’t have any children but I’ve recently been diagnosed with cancer. I’ve been looking for something I can do to make the holidays meaningful. Thank you for the inspiration!
Megan Sheakoski says
December 2, 2015 at 10:28 amOh Cindy! Sending hugs and prayers your way! I love your attitude!
Ami says
December 5, 2015 at 2:41 pmWe candy bombed two parking lots today. So much fun! One older couple was getting in their car as we got back into ours, so we sat and watched. The kids (5, 3 and 2) were so excited at the smiles when they spotted it! 5yo commented that t was making her happy too, which is how acts of kindness work:)
Megan Sheakoski says
December 7, 2015 at 10:34 pmYAY!!!!!! And my kids are exactly the same way! So much fun–thank for sharing!
Ami says
December 24, 2015 at 1:42 pmDid it again last week (great way to clear out the candy that keeps accumulating). One older gentleman was sitting in his car when my daughter handed him his candy cane. He got out, shuffled over chuckling, and handed us a “Random Acts of Kindness” card he keeps to pass out!
Megan Sheakoski says
December 30, 2015 at 10:58 amHow awesome is that!?!?!?! What a great experience for her and him! Thanks for sharing!
Lana says
December 11, 2015 at 10:23 pmI found a RACK’d note taped to a dollar bill taped to a claw machine inside of Walmart in Fremont, NE this evening. I thought it was such a wonderful idea and it inspired me to do my own random act of kindness, so I took that dollar bill and I put it in the Salvation Army bucket outside. Thank you to the person who left the dollar bill, just know it went towards a good cause! I think I may reuse the note in hopes to inspire another person to pay it forward.
Megan Sheakoski says
December 14, 2015 at 12:23 pmThat is AWESOME Lana!!!!!!!!
BriP says
December 15, 2015 at 1:12 pmHi…on Sunday, I got out to my car after grocery shopping (in Shakopee, MN), and found a candy cane attached to a RACK’d note with your website listed at the bottom. just wanted to say thanks to you or whoever it was who got the idea from your website – it put a smile on my face. I’d not been in a good mood that day (no particular reason, just one of those in-a-funk days), so the simple gesture was appreciated.
Elise HIll says
September 14, 2016 at 6:58 pmI LOVE your calendar…I have one request. Is there anyway to get a blank one without “Christmas” this year, too. My school had a hard time with the candy cane “bomb”, just because it said bomb.
Margi says
November 3, 2016 at 3:07 amThank you so much for this lovely idea. I plan to adapt it this year for my own family in Queensland Australia.
Megan Sheakoski says
November 3, 2016 at 8:02 amYay!
Megan Chase says
November 12, 2016 at 11:46 pmLove this idea! Are you doing it again for 2016?
Denise says
November 15, 2015 at 8:03 amI work at an afterschool program called A.P.P.L.E. I am responcsible for third graders. we are goin to do a class random chary and the chain as an art project. Thanks for the great ideas!!
Denise
Megan Sheakoski says
November 15, 2015 at 4:03 pmThat is awesome!