Last year I decided to do an acts of kindness advent calendar. Last year I decided to do an acts of kindness advent calendar. This year I’m doing it again and there’s a free copy for you to download. Don’t get me wrong I love the chocolate ones but having lived in parts of the world where you can’t get advent calendars it’s good to do something a little different.
The more adult alcoholic versions look fun, apart from the obvious extra cost they just aren’t available on this island. I’ve seen the ideas of acts of kindness calendars around the web over the last couple of years and decided create my own version that can be followed where we live in the world.
What is the point?
An acts of kindness advent calendar is more than just a calendar, it is also a way of getting back to the real meaning of Christmas. I’m not a practicing Christian. Like many others I really only go to church these days for weddings or funerals.
The ideals of being kind to each and looking after our fellow human beings and the planet are central to every religious belief and something I try to strive for in my life. The idea of an acts of kindness calendar like this is to bring us all closer to really being good members of the human race if in just a small way each day once a year by the choices we make.
I hope that maybe some of these acts of kindness will rub off on a few more people for the rest of the year too.
Why gratitude?
The final one is a reminder of everything we are truly grateful for in life. Some think the idea of gratitude is overrated today, but I feel in our consumer driven society it’s more important than ever.
Too often I see negativity around me in the press and media, on line and the complaints I hear around us. I see around me in our society a constant strive to have what others have, to be a good citizen today you also need to be a good consumer. You have to want the car like “X” and the holiday that “Y” went on. Your life will be complete when you have the bright red sofa and live in a home with that view. All of it fuelled by the images of perfection that social media is so good at sharing with us.
At times it’s good to really take stock of what we have and what we need. Look around and truly appreciate what we have in life, the people and things that really matter.
There is of course the irony that without a little advertising revenue this blog may not exist…
Editors note: This post has been completely updated and reposted originally posted December 2016.
Have you done an advent calendar like this before? Do you think the world needs a little more kindness shared around? If you enjoyed the post and found it useful please comment and share. Thank you
This is sweet! I found that acknowledging gratitude in your daily living can be a HUGE help (especially during low times). I was using Robert Emmon’s work on Gratitude last Summer to work through some personal challenges: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/profile/Robert_Emmons – this work inspire you as well?
Cheers!
Thank you Chrissy I’ll take a look at that.
Great idea. Making the world a happier place. No act of kindness is ever wasted. Thank you. 💜💐
This is a fanTASTIC idea! Market this baby!!!
this is a great idea, i can definitely use some of these. I already feed strays!lol
Thank you and well done with those strays 🙂
Wow, what a brilliant idea! This is the kind of advent calendar I can get into 🙂
xx nicole
http://www.nicoleparise.com
Thank you and if a few of us do a few things to help others I hope it will make the world a little better for some this Christmas 🙂
I absolutely love this. The holidays easily make it a very selfish time of year, focusing on gifts, and immediate family and friends. It’s nice to have a nudge to keep the season others focused.
Thank you and I hope you have wonderful Christmas 🙂
This!! Yes! I have been looking for something like this!! Something simple and doable.
Thank you, it was important to me that it was realistic to actually do the things, hope you have fun doing it 🙂
This is a beautiful idea to be grateful during the holiday season!
Thank you and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas
This is absolutely lovely!
Thank you
Oh my goodness! This is the best idea ever! Acts of Kindness are a great way to learn things that we are grateful for too! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Thank you and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas
Beautiful ideas, i love this. I never seen anything like this before. xx
Thank you, I think it’s a wonderful way to celebrate the season 🙂
This is such a great idea…brings us back to the true meaning of this season!
Thank you, it feels good to get away from pure consumerism 🙂
I love this so much! If the world could just implement one or two of these, how joyous of a season it will be! Thanks so much for posting this!
Thank you, yes it would be great if more people could do a couple of these throughout the year 🙂
I absolutely love this idea! It’s spurred me on to try in January instead (and hopefully beyond) to do secret acts of kindness.
thank you, and I hope it inspires others to think the way you do, let me know how January goes 🙂
What a lovely idea will make one and hope this catches on. Well done Amanda x
Thank you Alison 🙂
I love this idea! I don’t think I’ve ever done an Advent calendar, not even as a child. However, I do know many that continue to. This one is very doable for me. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Thank you Bren, advent calendars are a great idea but do seem to have been taken over by the food and drink industry…
Hi, I think your advent calendar is beautiful. Well done.
Thank you Plee