Each year our family does acts of kindness in our community. This year I decided to make it more visual as we focus on others during this holiday season. So, I created a Holiday Acts of Kindness Tree. Our family celebrates Christmas, but this could be tailored to any holiday you celebrate.
Holiday Acts of Kindness Tree
The project includes a few things you probably have lying around the house plus a tree. I picked up a mini tree at Target and it worked perfectly for this project. I printed colorful shapes on cardstock and cut those out to use as ornaments. You could also use wooden ornaments if you want to keep the ideas the same each year.
Gather your family and write up a list of ideas for acts of kindness you could perform individually or as a family. There are so many places to find inspiration online. I found my kids had some of the best ideas and those were coming from their joyful hearts to give and serve.
Then everyone takes a couple of the ornament shapes and writes the idea on them. Punch a hole in the top and use string or pipe cleaners to attach them to the tree. That is the finishing touch for the actual tree.
Starting December 1, pick one ornament off the tree each day to do. Some ideas may be tougher to complete during the weekdays. Save the more time-intensive activities for the weekends.
Holiday Kindness Ideas
*Bake cookies and deliver them to the police and fire station
*Leave a few dollars taped to a vending machine
*Shovel a neighbor’s sidewalk and driveway (We live in Iowa so it seems to work out well!)
*Write a handwritten note and send flowers to a nursing home. Ask for it be delivered to someone who does not get any/few visitors
*Donate books to a Little Free Libraries
*Go to the store and buy a toy for a child who may not get one this holiday season
*Make blessing bags for the homeless
*Buy the order for the car behind you in the drive-thru
*Sign up for a meal train
*Buy and donate toys and books to the local children’s hospital or children’s wing of the hospital.
*Make birthday celebration kits for food pantries to hand out – these would include a cake mix, frosting, oil, applesauce, candles, lighter, and a tablecloth all in a foil cake pan
*Leave a generous tip for a service worker, especially those who are working on holidays
*Make a snack box to leave on your porch for postal workers
*Donate new socks and underwear to the local schools to keep for children in case of accidents
*Go on a neighborhood trash clean up walk
*Volunteer at the local animal shelter
*Make homemade bookmarks and put them in books at the library
*Buy donuts or cookies for the staff at your child’s school
*Let someone go ahead of you in line at the store
*Write thank you cards for the police department, fire department, postal service
*Decorate cards and sort prepackaged snacks into bags for hospital staff
*Make inspirational cards and attach them to a candy bar to drop off at a women’s or family shelter
*Leave a note of appreciation on your trash can on collection day
*Thank a veteran
*Walk an elderly neighbor’s dog for them
*Offer to load groceries for an elderly person and return their cart for them
*Do something nice for someone who is not always kind to you
*Make snack bags with a note of thanks for the staff at the library
For more ideas, be sure to check out this touching article about 100 ideas for Random Acts of Kindness
I work at a local church and last year my kids took candy canes with an attached note wishing a Merry Christmas and set it on the windshield of each car during the Christmas Eve Service. This was something simple and not time-consuming. But it was impactful and covered a large group of people in a short amount of time.
Acts of Kindness do not need to cost money but more importantly, come from the heart and act of giving of yourselves and family. The smallest act may make the biggest impact on that person or organization. Be Kind. That is the simplest act to do this holiday season.
