It's easy to get wrapped up in the shopping, cleaning and commercialism of of the holiday. While it's certainly okay to indulge in those things too little acts of kindness can go a long way in celebrating the real meaning of Christmas.
I am a strong believer in doing what we can to make the world a better place starting with a simple smile, things that even busy moms and little kids can participate in. Brightening someone's day, helping the planet and being kind are all easy ways to send waves of positivity into the universe. Volunteering at a soup kitchen, starting a non-profit, public speaking about a cause near and dear to your heart and other big acts of service are all wonderful and amazing, but its the small amount of time spent daily thinking about someone other than ourselves that can really change kids. It's the little, random acts of kindness that go a long way in fighting that sense of entitlement that so many children have today.
My suggestion when you are finished with December's Christmas Kindness Calendar is to start making a list of things that you can do in January, and the last week of January, make your list for February and so on.. don't let the spreading of cheer end at Christmas this year.
What is a Christmas Kindness Countdown Calendar?
You know that advent calendars usually have a little pocket or space for a candy or other treat that helps kids countdown to Christmas Day, a kindness countdown will replace those sweets with a random act of kindness!
You can create your own with things you think your family can do or you can download and print the one we've created below. The acts listed on this downloadable calendar are meant for everyone in your family to either do together to for everyone to complete independently and can report back at the dinner table on how the act was completed that day.
Download and print this calendar to hang or do what you'd like with it. If you are anything like me, we have plenty of good intentions but time and organization tends to slip away from us this time of year. I'm going to cut out the squares and put them into my boys' favorite little wooden advent calendar this year in the place of candies that usually fill the squares. Every day we will all work on completing the tasks together as a family.
If 25 acts of kindness seem too overwhelming, maybe pick a few you think you could do. Or spend a day together volunteering, adopt a family or whatever it is that your family is passionate about.