Advent Plan - Random Acts of Kindness

This Advent, I am planning on performing Random Acts of Kindness with my children. I have been searching the internet and Pintrest to find neat ideas. I thought I would compile my list here & would love to add any ideas you may have!

I found this great post about this family's experience with Advent Random Acts of Kindness for last year and am modeling our plan after their's. I ordered cards to put with each of our gifts from Cardstore.com when they had their awesome 80% off sale a few weeks ago :-)

On the inside of the card it says:

"Random Acts of Christmas Kindness - You'ved Been RACK'ed"

"This Advent, we are celebrating the true meaning of Christmas by performing Random Acts of Kindness. You are a child of God and we pray you find His blessings this Christmas season."

Here's another blog post I found with lots of great ideas - it was a woman celebrating her 38th birthday by doing 38 Random Acts of Kindness!

During the Advent & Christmas season, it is easy to be self-centered. I hope by blessing others with these random acts of kindness, my children will focus more on how we can help and give to others, rather than what they want to receive for Christmas.

Ideas:

Taping coins on vending machines - toys, snacks, or sodas

Single dollars in toy aisle of dollar store

Candy canes at ATM machines

Hand out $5 Starbucks gift cards at mall

Coloring books & crayons in a waiting room

Donate items to food bank, homeless shelter, etc.

Hand out mylar balloons to children shopping with their parents at mall

Handwritten letter to old friend or family member

Buy gift card at checkout of grocery store & give it to person behind you before leaving

Give gift card or coupon to table at restaurant (good way to use freebie or discount coupons for restaurants)

Read a story to children at book store or library

In drive thru line, pay for person's meal behind you (give cashier the card to give to them)

Make a meal (double your evening's recipe) for a friend or loved one

Giving someone on the street corner a bag with bottled water & granola bars
Take a set of holiday books & leave at the mall play area
Get an angel from an angel tree & buy the needs & wants for the child or person in need
Buy hot cocoa or coffee for a Salvation Army bell ringer
Buy a package of gum or mints for checkout clerk at grocery or convenience clerk
Hand out flowers to random people
Leave a basket of Christmas gifts on doorstep of family in need
Leave note & candy canes on cars in parking lots
Take a bunch of quarters to the laundromat & give them away
Take a roll of pennies or other coins & drop them all over a playground for kids to find

People to bless with small gifts:

Mailman

Firemen

Police Officers

Teachers - school, Sunday school, coaches, activity leaders, etc.

Health care professionals

Waiter/waitress

Service people working outside (hot donuts!)

Nursing Homes - gifts, cards or caroling

Neighbors

Small gift ideas:

coffee

small amt gift cards

cookies or candy

caroling

food

Here's a few blog posts with good ideas for small gifts:30 Neighbor Gift Ideas and Gifts from Your Kitchen

So, this is our plan!!! We will begin Monday, November 28th, the 2nd day of Advent. To keep us accountable, I am planning on blogging as I can on our progress! I am also wanting to get a tree where we could tie to it all of the blessings and random acts of kindness that we have done throughout the season. I am copying this blog by also planning to pray during our evening prayers for the people that we met or blessed that day.

I invite you to join with us in this project! Please comment with additional ideas of things you can do or have done. Have fun spreading the love of Christ with others!