It’s like clockwork — by mid-March the kiddos already begin talking about the upcoming Christmas. The fun, the excitement, and the anticipation (often centered around gifts) begins to bubble early on in the year. Now. I love Christmas. I love that my kids love Christmas. BUT there is a fine line between truly living and sharing the joy throughout the year and becoming greedy goblins. That’s why I wanted to create a new tradition that would put a focus on making the season meaningful in a different way. I came across a similar idea while browsing one night and am so excited to share this sweet (and pretty!) acts of kindness Advent calendar DIY.

I love waiting (I’m also terrible at it) for Christmas. Even as a kid I found that the anticipation of the holidays was often a greater joy than the day of celebration itself. I think Advent calendars were created for this reason — and probably as a way to give the kids an outlet for all that pre-Christmas ENERGY (haaa)!

I loved the little chocolate candy calendars as a kid. I could hardly wait to open the slot each day and gobble up the tiny Santa shaped chocolates. I’ve always wanted to start and Advent countdown tradition with the kids but wanted to shift away from the candy calendars (I have five kids that are pretty much sugared up 24/7). So, when I saw that some folks had started a kindness countdown — I was all in!

Acts of Kindness Advent Calendar DIY Supplies:

• Macrame Ring
• String
• Holly sprig (or any seasonal greenery)
• Glue Gun
• Number/Letter stickers — see what I used here, here, and here
• White card stock
• Scissors
• 24 Clothespins

Let’s Do This!

• Affix the holiday greenery to the top of the ring using the hot glue (I wrapped the top of the ring with the string to give a solid base for the glue and greenery)
• Let dry
• Fold card stock paper in half and cut
• Fold the halves into half
• Fold once more and cut on the new fold
• Do this until you have 24 cards
• Begin labeling each card 1-24 with the corresponding numbers
• Fill each card with one act of kindness (see below for 100 ideas)

• Cut 24 strings about 12″ each (you can shorten as you tie for a layered effect)
• Begin tying the ends of the strings around the back side of the clothespins
• Begin tying the opposite ends of the strings along the bottom half of the macrame ring, adjusting length as you go

• Once all strings are secured, hang the ring to allow for any adjustments
• Begin securing the card stock labels one at a time with the clothespins
• Snip off any excess string with the scissors

I’m so excited to make this a tradition each year. You can make these cards into reusable envelopes to use year after year or change up the design — whatever fits your style!

A fun side story about these clothespins — my grandma passed down a huge homemade kitchen towel bag full of these clothespins that she used to hang the laundry when my dad and his siblings were young. They are dried and weather-worn. I love using them around the house and it’s pretty special to have them used to hold these little acts of kindness and brings a smile to my face each time I walk by.

Now, you can fill your cards with any simple acts of kindness — truly, there are no rules. But, if you’re looking for a bunch of ideas, check out this list of 100 small acts of kindness for kids from coffeecupsandcrayons.com — Enjoy spreading kindness, friends!

1. Put change in a vending machine.
2. Hold the door open for someone.
3. Do a chore for someone without them knowing.
4. Tell a joke.
5. Return someone’s cart at the store.
6. Give candy to your bank teller.
7. Leave a letter in a library book.
8. Feed the birds.
9. Leave happy notes around town.
10. Put a small bin in your car to collect recycling.
11. Call your grandparents and ask them about their childhood.
12. Pick up litter.
13. Let someone go ahead of you in line.
14. Compliment a friend.
15. Wash someone’s car.
16. Write a thank you note for your mail carrier.
17. Plant something.
18. Bake dessert for a neighbor
19. Walk dogs at the animal shelter.
20. Check in on an elderly neighbor.
21. Set up a lemonade stand and donate the profits.
22. Send a card to a service member.
23. Bury treasure at the playground.
24. Set the table for dinner.
25. Leave bubbles on someone’s doorstep.
26. Put money on a stranger’s layaway bill.
27. Tell someone why they are special to you.
28. Donate outgrown clothes.
29. Buy a coffee for a stranger.
30. Pass out stickers to kids waiting in line.
31. Talk to someone new at school.
32. Write chalk messages on the sidewalk.
33. Weed or shovel for a neighbor.
34. Donate food to the food pantry.
35. Bring flowers to your teacher.
36. Tell a manager how good your service was.
37. Tape change to a parking meter.
38. Donate socks and supplies to the homeless shelter.
39. Give a lottery ticket to a stranger.
40. Call a friend you haven’t seen in a while to say hello.
41. Tape money for the ice cream truck to a friend’s front door.
42. Take treats to the fire station.
43. Read a book to someone.
44. Leave heads up pennies on the sidewalk.
45. Donate a book to a doctor’s office waiting room.
46. Tell someone how much you love them.
47. Say hello to everyone you see.
48. Make someone else’s bed.
49. Hold the door open for someone.
50. Wave at kids on school buses.
51. Sing songs at a nursing home.
52. Invite someone to play on the playground.
53. Tell the principal how great your teacher is.
54. Donate a toy to Toys for Tots.
55. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
56. Say thank you when you see service members.
57. Fill a kindness jar with candy for another family.
58. Make a thank you sign for sanitation workers.
59. Make a busy bag for a family with young children.
60. Bring cookies to the custodian.
61. Help make dinner.
62. Donate new pajamas for foster kids.
63. Make a get well card for someone.
64. Bring your neighbors’ garbage cans up for them.
65. Take care of someone’s pet while they’re away.
66. Leave a popcorn surprise on a DVD rental machine.
67. Share a special toy with a friend.
68. Clean up your room without being asked.
69. Tape a video message for faraway friends.
70. Leave kindness stones at the park.
71. Give a candy bar to the bus driver.
72. Send dessert to another family at a restaurant.
73. Give spare change to the food pantry.
74. Buy extra school supplies for a teacher.
75. Make muffins for your pharmacist.
76. Teach someone something new.
77. Reuse paper when you are drawing.
78. Pay for someone’s toll.
79. Give someone a hug coupon.
80. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.
81. Write a note for someone’s lunch.
82. Collect money or items for your favorite charity.
83. Donate coloring books and crayons to the children’s hospital.
84. Write a poem for a friend.
85. Ask for donations instead of birthday gifts.
86. Help someone unload groceries at the store.
87. Make a candy gram for the police department.
88. Collect books for the library.
89. Adopt an animal online.
90. Decorate tissue boxes and hand sanitizer for nursing stations.
91. Make a homemade gift for someone.
92. Clean up your toys without being asked.
93. Deliver water bottles to the homeless shelter.
94. Create activity bags for families of deployed soldiers.
95. Give high fives to a friend.
96. Make a thank you card for your librarian.
97. Dry the slides at the park with a towel after it rains.
98. Make play dough for a preschool class.
99. Send a postcard to a friend.
100. Smile at everybody. It’s contagious.