Every year our family does the 12 Days of Christmas. We choose a family that is in need of some added Christmas cheer and we secretly deliver gifts every night before Christmas. The kids love to sneak up, drop the gift, ring the bell and run as fast as they can so they don’t get caught. It is amazing what joy this brings to our family and to the family trying so hard to guess who their secret friends are.
As much as I love this tradition, and highly recommend it to your family, I really want to add more giving in simple ways to our Christmas season.
You can keep it very simple and just have your family brainstorm simple kind acts that you can do together or individually then write it on the calendar. Or you can have kids decorate 12 little containers or boxes with mod podge and Christmas pictures then put a number on them from 1-12 and place little slips of paper in each one then have the kids take turns opening the box to see what kindness you will do that day.
- Buy a pack of gum for your cashier
- Buy a hot chocolate and take it to the Salvation Army Ringers
- Buy a soup and hot chocolate and take to someone who is living on the street
- Make cookies and take them to a neighbor
- Write a thank you card for someone
- Don’t yell at your kids for a day
- Be extra nice to someone in your family for a day
- Really listen to your child/parent when they talk or ask you something
- Take a bag of doggie treats to the local animal shelter
- Go caroling
- Prepare a little talent show and go perform at the local nursing home
- Take food to the local food bank
- Help in a soup kitchen
- Pay off someone’s credit card at a local store
- Make a Christmas card for your coach or instructor
- Make a Christmas card for your school teacher
- Do something nice for your sister/brother
- Find a chore to do without being asked
- Call a relative to tell them that you love them
- Write a letter or draw a picture for a cousin and mail it to them
- Make Christmas cards for your grandparents
- Deliver a gift to a friend
- Deliver a gift to a neighbor
- Do something nice for your mom
- Do something nice for your dad
Let’s make this year an extra memorable one by doing simple acts of kindness to help us stay in the true spirit of Christmas.
Please share your ideas, if you have done something like this before or if you are trying it this year we would love to hear from you!
Image courtesy of zirconicusso / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
2 comments
Cheryl says:
Dec 13, 2012
Our family is doing something similar. Our goal is to do 25 acts of service before Christmas. We started December 1st. Ours have been as simple as waiting outside the doors at church and holding the doors open for people. We have written Christmas cards and put them on peoples cars at Walmart, my kids gathered their change and put it in the Salvation Army bucket etc. Nothing fancy, but hopefully helping my kids look outside themselves and seeing another’s need.
Chantelle Adams says:
Dec 17, 2012
Wonderful! I love it so much and love that you are doing simple things that the kids can be a part of… that is what it is all about. When the kids can be involved then it really makes it memorable and makes a greater impact on their little hearts and those they are serving! Thank you so much for sharing and enjoy your service filled holiday… I am sure it will be one to remember!