Kindness, gratitude and generosity are values parents want to instill in their children. What better time than the holiday season to share kindness in your community, with a little help from the kids.
Not only does kindness affect those on the receiving end, it is beneficial to the kind person’s health as well. A 2015 study by the University of British Columbia found that “Socially anxious participants who engaged in acts of kindness for 4 weeks showed a decrease in social avoidance goals, concluding that kindness is an effective way to reduce social anxiety.”
Whether you’re ready to undertake 25 Random Acts of Kindness, or just a few throughout the season, here are some ideas to get you started.
Random Acts of Kindness
- Make a gift basket for your UPS driver/mail carrier.
- Buy something for a stranger—coffee, a toll, a lunch tab, groceries, whatever fits your budget and your mood.
- Make care packages for the homeless (small bottles of lotion, chapstick, tissues, wet wipes, warm socks, granola bars, beef jerky).
- Donate a toy to Toys for Tots, or buy a present for the Angel Tree.
- Leave a BIG tip for a server.
Kindness for Your Friends
- Babysit for another family (or do a babysitting swap over the holidays).
- Make a meal for a friend, just because.
- Send a co-worker a handwritten note of appreciation for their hard work.
- Call an old friend.
- Make a donation in a friend’s name to a charity important to them.
Look for Lights Displays, Holiday Craft Shows, Performances, Train Gardens, and more at our Holiday Hub!
Kindness Acts for Kids
- Donate toys they no longer play with.
- Tape quarters to the kiddie rides at the mall or a vending machine.
- Do a chore for your sibling (or parent!).
- Make homemade cards for the neighbors.
- Make RACK (Random Acts of Christmas (or Chanukah) Kindness) cards, attach goodies like candy canes and hand them out.
Want more ways to enjoy the holidays as a family? Don’t miss all of our Holiday Countdown activities!
