25 Days of Christmas Service

New this year included in our 25 days of Christmas Fun and The Spirit of Christmas we as a family are adding 25 Days of Christmas Service.  I am sure you are all thinking wow this is way to much…but to me, it’s not.  It is at the most an hour out of my day to teach my kids the true meaning of Christmas!  


I want my kids to understand this scripture found in Mosiah 2:17 “And Behold….learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow being ye are only in the service of your God”.  When we serve others we are serving God!


Through the years my family has been blessed so much by many kind acts. One year, after a particularly hard year financially we received so much from others.  Small things and big things.  From food on our porch, to neighbors bringing me something I really needed that day, to a big check in the mail from who knows who!  We were and still are so blessed each day by kind and loving people.  This year at Christmas I want to come up with 25 ways to serve others and have my kids help me perform each act of kindness.  Most of these are going to be small simple things that only take a couple minutes a day!  I want to teach my kids daily to pray to know what we should do for someone else and then follow the spirit in our service to others.  


I searched on the web and found so many great ideas of  Random Acts of Kindness that I think would be great.  I am not going to tell you what ones we are doing, because who know maybe you will be a recipient of some 🙂


There was a great website here with tons of ideas.  These were just some of my favorites!

• Drop off a toy or game at a hospital
• Put  something you no longer need on Craigslist for free
• Compliment a stranger sincerely
• Put change in a row of vending machines at the college
• Leave a book you have already finished somewhere for someone else to read
• Reach out to people in other countries.
• Give care packs to the homeless
• Donate used books to a library
• Offer a couple hours of free babysitting to parents.
• Help someone whose car is broken down.
• Put a comment on someones blog that you like and let them know how much you love reading it
• At the post office leave some extra stamps at the stamp machine
• Drop off a toy of a game at a homeless shelter
• Send a picture you have taken which includes a friend and send it to them with a note remembering when it was taken
• Open the phone book, pick a name, and send them something (movie tickets, thank you card, you are appreciated card, book, etc.) anonymously.
• Send someone a hand written note of thanks.
• Share your umbrella with someone who doesn’t have one.
• Drop off a teddy bear to police department to give to traumatized children.
• Tape some change to a payphone with a card saying it is for whoever needs it.
• Drop off cookies at a random establishment.
• Bring cookies or some snack to work for office
• If you know someone who is having a hard time financially, pop a $5, $10 or $20 note in an envelope, disguise your writing or type the envelope, and post it to them.
• Send a card to a friend or relative you haven’t seen for some time. Include a photo  your family.
• Write anonymous, loving post-its for strangers to find.
• Write letters of appreciation to groups who are helping the community, the environment, etc.
• Buy a copy of your favorite book and donate it to your local library or hospital
• Drop a few coins in an area where children play, where they can easily find them.
• Express kindness to those who are healing. Leave a stuffed animal for a child in a hospital.
• Write a thank-you note to a person from your past who has made a difference in your life.
• Walk your friend’s dog.
• Give a compliment about your waiter / waitress to his / her manager.
• Send someone a small gift anonymously.
• Stop and help someone replace their flat tyre.
• Treat a friend to the movies for no reason.
• Give a tip $ to someone when they least expect it.
• Give up your seat for someone, not just an elderly person.
• Pick up some rubbish in the road which would otherwise be lying around.
• Tell all your family members how much your appreciate them.
• Leave a copy of an interesting book on a train / bus.
• Buy an inspirational book for a friend.
• Send a thank you note to a person who has helped you in the past.
• Smile a lot.
• Invite a couple of neighborhood kids over for a cooking class.
• Collect can goods for a food bank.
• Leave a note in your mailbox letting the mail delivery person know you appreciate them and all their hard work.
• Clean up litter on a street in your neighborhood.
• Neighborhood Cleanup
• Drop off a plant or some home-made baked goods to your local police or fire department.
• Leave a kind note for a family member or friend.
• Tell you’re children/grandchildren why you love them.
• Cheer up a friend you know who needs it by surprising them with a quiet lunch out and listen to what they need to talk about. Think about what is bothering them and try to offer something to help them with their issue.
• Donate blood.
• Hug a family member.
• Smile and say “Hello” to people you don’t know.
• Offer to babysit for free. Perhaps you know a couple or a single parent who could really use a short break.
• Offer someone behind you in the grocery check-out line to go in front of you.
• Volunteer to read to students at a near-by school. Volunteer once a month to provide instruction and guidance in the arts department. Better yet if the school doesn’t have an arts department.
• Open the car door for your passenger.
• Pull out someone’s chair for them at the dinner table.
• Take a neighbors newspaper laying out on their driveway to them or leave it at their front door.
• Let a neighbor know how much you value their friendship. When preparing dinner make extra and drop it off for them.
• Let a manager know you compliment a sales clerk for their pleasant service.
• Give your pocket change to someone who is needing it.
• Pick up small florist vases at thrift stores or yard sales for about 10 cents and buy wrapped flowers for a few more dollars. Then arrange the flowers in the vases. Get the local phone book out, pick a few names and deliver them to their door step anonymously early in the morning before everyone is awake.
• Leave your change in the soda or snack vending machine for the next person. It’s a nice surprise.
• Purchase a meal for a homeless person.
• If you see you’re neighbor hasn’t set his or her trash can out for that mornings pick-up, wheel it out to the curb yourself.
• Add some quarters to a parking meter you notice is getting low.
• Pay for the persons order behind you when in a drive-through at a fast food place.
• Leave change in a public pay phone.
• Do as many things as you can by being anonymous. It’s a wonderful feeling.
• Run an errand for someone.
• Make an extra serving when preparing dinner and take to a homeless person in your area.
• Call a parent just to say you love them.
• Take blankets or warm clothing to a homeless person.
• Help an elderly person care for their pet(s).
• Purchase a couple extra bags of dog or cat food and take to the animal shelter.
• Volunteer to help at an animal shelter.
• Watch someone’s children for a couple you feel needs some alone time.
• Take a meal to a family you know.
• Check in on someone you know is alone.
• Offer to pump someone’s gas at the station. If you can, pay for it.
• If you notice a neighbors lawn is becoming over-grown that otherwise has been nicely groomed in the past, go mow it without them being aware.
• Send a bouquet of flowers to a hospital and let the staff know it should go to someone who doesn’t receive any visitors and is alone.
• Stop into a nursing home just to spend a little time with the residents.
• Drop off books and magazines to hospitals, nursing homes and doctors offices.
• Volunteer at a homeless shelter.
• Call or text a friend and tell them you are going to the store and see if they need anything.
• Do a service for each member of your family!