RAOK’s are great at any time of the year but what better time than in the lead up to Christmas.
I love Christmas (yes I’m one of those people) and I start getting excited in about October. I possibly love the build up to it more than the actual day, if I’m honest. However, around this time though there can be a lot of focus on GETTING presents. Lots of people ask the kids “What have you asked Santa for?”… “What are you hoping to get?” So to shift the emphasis a little and balance it out – it is good to get the kids involved in GIVING some love and generosity as well.
Here are 24 Random Acts of Christmas Kindness you can do with the kids for the month of December to share a bit of love in your community:
1. Drop off a Christmas card and treats to your local fire, ambulance and/or police station.
2. Host a play date with one of your children’s friends so that their parents can go Christmas shopping for a few hours without the kids.
3. Donate food to the local animal shelter.
4. Tape a candy cane on the letterbox with a Christmas note for the Postie.
5. Pay it backwards : pay for the coffee/milkshake of the person standing behind you in the line.
6. Donate books you no longer read/need. The doctor’s waiting room could be a good option if it is anything like ours! haha
7. Hold the School Gate or door open for someone coming through.
8. Write a message on the footpath in chalk for pedestrians to see. It may be a Christmas picture or a funny Christmas joke.
9. Say “Merry Christmas” to a stranger.
10. Make a Christmas bookmark for a friend (template from Activity Village here).
11. Give the wheelie bin man a Christmas card with a $1 scratchie enclosed.
12. Take a bubble wand to your local park and fill the air with beautiful bubbles for everyone to see (and pop!).
13. If you see a fabulous Christmas lights display in someone’s yard, drop them a note thanking them for making the effort to create such a great Christmas atmosphere in your neighbourhood.
14. Take flowers to a hospital and leave them with the nursing staff for someone who is alone and doing it tough.
15. See how many people you can smile at in one day.
16. Let someone skip ahead of you in the grocery line.
17. Take dinner or some biscuits to a family in need.
18. Return someone’s shopping trolley for them.
19. Make a simple Christmas tree decoration for your neighbours.
20. Send a handwritten note (yes, by snail mail…no emails or texts!) to a good friend or grandparent.
21. Let someone have your parking spot at the shops (we appreciate what a sacrifice this one will be at this time of year!).
22. Hand out Christmas stickers at the school gate one afternoon.
23. If applicable, email your School Principal to tell them how great your Teacher has been this year.
24. Donate new pyjamas for foster kids through the Pyjama Foundation.
We have put these ideas into a simple downloadable if you would like to print it out and keep it handy to work through with your kids.
