50 Acts of Kindness for the Holidays you can do by yourself or as a family to bring the magic of Christmas to the hearts of others.
The holidays are right around the corner. This is also the time that my kids material desires go into overdrive. With so much marketing targeted at kids these days, they can become consumed with getting new toys. This is why I try to redirect their affections towards gratitude and helping others. I try to do acts of kindness throughout the year, but during the holidays I’m especially mindful to do them. As my kids get older, it’s a tradition I love to do with them. I want to instill the habit of doing good in the world.
As a Christian, I believe we are supposed to be a light in a dark world. We should be an ambassador for Christ, showing his love through acts of love, kindness, and mercy. Even if you aren’t a Christian, you can’t deny the affect that kindness has on the world. Whatever the motivation, the holidays seem inspire random acts of kindness.
Choosing What Not To Do
Save Your Judgement
Now before I list some of the things my family does, I want to preface it. Kindness doesn’t have to cost anything. Kindness is as simple as paying someone a compliment or holding the door open for someone. Maybe it is returning someone’s cart or giving someone your place in a long line. Also, sometimes kindness isn’t what you do, but what you choose NOT to do.
For instance, the next time you see something you disagree with on Facebook, choose to extend mercy by scrolling by instead of hammering someone with your opinion. In fact, one of the places in most desperate need of kindness is social media. Everyone is so quick to condemn others. Honestly, I see this even in the Christian community. There are some things we must judge or call out. I’m not speaking of such things. I’m talking about areas of Christian liberty where some people may feel convicted about something, whereas someone else may not. We don’t need to pass judgement on those kinds of things.
I think many times we forget the world doesn’t need our opinion about everything. Instead, let’s commit to being a peacemaker where possible and withhold our sanctimony. After all, you and me are incredibly flawed. If it is not something that God’s word opposes, we can choose our battles. Choose to be kind instead of being “right.”
Forgiveness
Just recently, I’ve seen some horrible acts of unkindness. In one instance, a man at a craft store couldn’t tell where the line started and accidentally cut in front of someone. The woman he cut off, went up the counter and started slamming her fist and screaming at him. The man apologized and explained, but she was unmoved by his apology and continued yelling inches away from his face. The man left broken and shamed.
Another time, I saw an older man come into a parking lot and nearly clipped someone. He parked beside me. The woman he cut off, parked her car directly in front of his, blocking him from getting off and entering the store. She then proceeded to get out of her car and yelled obscenities at him through the window. It was an accident and it’s not like he crashed into her. It was a near miss, but she was determined to draw blood for it.
Things aren’t going to go our way sometimes and when that happens we have a choice. We can respond with kindness or viciousness. Over the years, I’ve learned most people don’t intentionally set off to ruin our day. They’re busy, distracted, or simply make a mistake. Give someone the benefit of the doubt. One way to spread kindness is simply by extending someone forgiveness. Show someone undeserved grace. It’s that kind of mercy that inspires others to be kind. It has a ripple effect.
50 Acts of Kindness for the Holidays
- Leave a basket of treats to thank mail carriers
- Let someone cut in front of you in line at a store
- Organize a group to sing carols at a nursing home / retirement community
- Offer to babysit a friend’s kids so they can get a date night out
- Bring a crossing guard or traffic directing police officer coffee or hot chocolate
- Donate canned food to a food drive
- Give a stranger a gift card
- Donate a toy towards a toy drive like Toys for Tots
- Put up Christmas lights for an elderly neighbor
- Make a Christmas care package for a far away friend or relative
- Let someone know you’re thinking about them with a holiday card.
- Give to a charity
- Donate pet food at a local pet shelter
- Donate blood or plasma (it saves lives)
- Volunteer at a shelter
- Surprise someone with scratch off lottery ticket
- Donate blankets or coats to a shelter
- Volunteer at a food bank
- Return shopping carts in parking lots during the busy shopping season
- Tape coins to a vending machine and treat someone to a snack
- Help an elderly person with yard work
- Donate change for bell ringers
- Give a server a generous tip
- Walk a neighbor’s dog
- Pay off a school lunch debt
- Host a book drive for Operation Paperback
- Donate used toys to a battered women’s shelter or orphanage
- Pet sit for a family who is out of town for the holidays
- Say a prayer for someone
- Hide a dollar in the toy section of a dollar store
- Drop off treats to a fire or police station
- Volunteer at church
- Donate your wedding gown to a baby who has died
- Gift diapers to a family with an infant
- Pay for a strangers meal or coffee
- Give someone your parking space
- Invite someone with no family to spend Christmas with you
- Let someone go ahead of you in traffic
- Send a thank you note to a soldier
- Hand out gloves and mittens to the homeless
- Pay for someone behind you at the drive through window
- Babysit for a single mom
- Take a homebound or elderly person to church
- When you disagree with someone on social media, choose to stay kind instead
- Bring in your neighbor’s trash bins
- Offer to give a caretaker a break by watching their loved one
- Do something unexpected for your spouse
- Bring in goodies for your co-workers
- Pick up trash
- Give up your seat
Being kind is fun and it makes you feel good. I hope you enjoy doing 50 Acts of Kindness for the Holidays. PIN this post for later and share on your Facebook wall to get others involved.
Take a look at some of my other Christmas activities in The Ultimate Christmas Bucket List. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season!
