A Different Type of Advent Calendar

I loved Advent calendars as a kid. I loved finding each little numbered door and then opening it. Sometimes we'd even get chocolate calendars!! Those were, of course, the best.

At some point, we received a home-made advent calendar from one of my aunts. It was a large dark blue burlap wall hanging that had 24 Heinzelmännchen (German gnome), made from felt, dancing across the starry night.

Each little guy had a small felt sack that hung from his back. Of course, the sack was filled with chocolate but... given that it was small, my sister and I usually only got one foil-wrapped chocolate ball each... or an icy chocolate.

When we left home, my sister got the Heinzelmännchen Advent calendar and I... I turned around and made a copy of it! So we each have one. And yes... it still gets hung up on the wall in late November and it still magically fills with chocolates! Ususally... sometimes I have to remind the Powers-that-Be that the Advent calendar needs tending...

An Advent Devoid of Meaning

But, as we prepare for Christmas this year, I feel... empty somehow. Surely there is a more "meaningful" Advent calendar out there? I know you can buy ones that have cheese, tea, jams, and all sorts of consumables in them (even beer!). But, to be honest, it all seems so... self-serving? Surely there is some other method of celebrating the lead-up to Christmas?

And yes, this is what happens when you are raised as as Catholic, where Advent and Christmas are rich with tradition and transcendent meaning. As a child, we'd sit down with Mom every evening and light the Advent wreath and then sing German Advent songs (religious ones of course).

But when you walk away from Catholicism, you eventually find yourself in a vast, commercialized desert where capitalism reigns as king, and Advent and Christmas become this frenetic race to buy gifts and decorate and buy more gifts and... as Shakespeare says...  the malls are "full of sound and fury... Signifying nothing..."

We don't have kids and you can only give your cat so may catnip toys before it all seems... empty.

So I roamed the internet searching for alternatives. I even asked ChatGPT AI what I could do instead... and it actually came up with some good ideas! So, obviously, if ChatGPT has answers at its fingertips... it's not just me who feels this way!

The idea that grabbed me first was... Advent Calendars of Kindness... and I ran with that! Most of the ones I found were for kids... but there are also some adult ideas... And they don't have to cost the world either...

Ideas for Advent Calendar of Kindness

1. $$ Donate food (or money) to a food bank - just add some extra canned food to your shopping cart and leave it in the bin at the store.
2. $$ Leave an extra big tip at a restaurant or coffee shop - with app payments, I always get asked if I want to leave a tip for the Starbucks baristas... I never do... but I could do a cumulative one!
3. Knit a scarf for someone who is homeless or in a shelter - I don't knit... but I could donate excess mitts/scarves/toques to a shelter
4. Do a major purge and donate all the items that are in good shape - do this ongoingly, but we could maybe donate Christmas decorations!
5. $$ Adopt a child to buy gifts for at Christmas - our city has an annual toy drive for Christmas
6. $$ Pay for the person behind you at the coffee shop - this is an interesting one and I'm not sure how it works because how do you know what they are buying? Unless you are in a drive-through... and then the staff already know what the next person's order is! Could be $$$$... Or you could just say... put $10 towards their order!
7. $$ Buy a few scratch & win lottery tickets and place them on random windshields at the grocery store. This is an intriguing idea!
8. Sign up as an Organ Donor - takes two minutes!
9. Pay attention on garbage day and when you hear the truck coming... run out and give the garbage guy a treat and a thank you card - I just made this one up...
10. Set a box outside the house with drinks and pre-packaged snacks for the mailman, UPS guy, and FedEx guy.  With all the packages they deliver throughout December, they’ll appreciate the small token of gratitude - ours would get soaked by rain but maybe this works for others
11. Donate blood - excellent idea!!
12. Do you have small businesses that you frequently visit?  Leave them a great review on Facebook or Yelp - or on Google Reviews!
13. Tape candy canes and happy notes in random places - definitely possible... but who eats candy cans anymore??
14. $$ Send a surprise present in the mail to someone who wasn’t expecting it - I like this idea too!
15. Make a freezer meal dinner for a new mom or a stressed out friend - also possible
16. Ask to speak to a manager at a restaurant or store – and give a giant compliment about the store and/or one of the employees.  So often people only speak to a manager to complain, so going out of your way to compliment the store or employees is unexpected and awesome - very doable!!
17. Write down a Gratitude list of things that you are grateful for...
18. Pick up trash in your neighbourhood - I used to do this but it's easy to grab a plastic bag and wander around with some gloves and pick up garbage
19. Write a compliment card - for friends, family, colleagues, neighbours, or a local business or charity or dentist/doctor/pharmacist or... **gasp**... politician - and deliver them throughout the month - or mail them
20. Volunteer at a local food bank or shelter - one year there was a Christmas dinner hosted by a local charity and we volunteered for it - we got to wash dishes all evening. It was amazing! Seriously.
21. $$ Collect spare change during the month and donate to a local shelter - we don't use cash as much anymore but it might work for some folks
22. Spend time chatting and playing games with seniors at a local senior center.
23. Share inspiring stories, quotes or articles on social media to uplift others.
24. Create a playlist of your favorite songs and share it with a friend or on social media.
25. Leave a kind and supportive comment on someone's social media post. Not just a "thumbs-up"...
26. Offer to babysit for a friend or family member who could use a break.
27. Gather pet supplies like food, toys, or towels and blankets and donate them to an animal shelter or rescue organization.
28. $$ Contribute to a Kickstarter or Crowdfunding campaign for a creative project you believe in. On GoFundMe - you can scroll down and find categories
29. Sign a petition for something you believe in - you can find some on Change.org
30. Buy a tangible item for someone in a Third-World country - e.g. a goat or a flock of chickens or a well - https://plancanada.ca/
31. $$ Leave change taped to vending machine
32. Offer to pet-sit for a friend or neighbor when they're away.
33. Insert a positive or inspirational sticky note inside a library book for the next reader - use a sticky note otherwise it might get lost...
34. Recommend inspiring podcasts to friends on social media or start a virtual listening club.
35. Start a virtual book club with friends or join an existing one.
36. Donate books to a Little Library if there are some in your neighbourhood.
37. Donate books or puzzles to your local library - some libraries now lend out puzzles!
38. Write a card and mail it to someone you haven't heard from in a while.
39. Write an anonymous card to someone that you have parted ways with - expressing gratitude for who they are - don't sign it
40. Donate toiletries to a local shelter - we have scads of those little bottles of hotel shampoo/conditioner/body wash... they would be perfect.
41. Practice some self-care, since kindness isn't just about others. Here are some ideas...

• Take 15 minutes to practice deep breathing and mindfulness.
• Write down three things you're grateful for today.
• Treat yourself to a relaxing bath or shower.
• Go for a nature walk and connect with the outdoors.
• Dedicate time to your favorite hobby or creative activity.
• Enjoy a cup of your favorite tea or coffee mindfully.
• Practice yoga or gentle stretching exercises.
• Read a book or magazine that inspires you.
• Create a list of your strengths and accomplishments.
• Listen to soothing music or a guided meditation.
• Express your feelings through journaling or art.
• Reach out to a friend and have a meaningful conversation.
• Spend time with a beloved pet or animal.
• Disconnect from screens and enjoy a tech-free evening.
• Write down your goals and intentions for the future.
• Cook a nutritious and delicious meal for yourself.
• Practice self-compassion and speak kindly to yourself.
• Organize and declutter a space in your home.
• Engage in a random act of kindness for someone else.
• Watch a heartwarming movie or documentary.
• Get a good night's sleep and prioritize rest.
• Create a vision board of your dreams and aspirations.
• Plan a self-care day with activities you love.
• Practice a hobby or skill that brings you joy.
• Explore a new recipe and cook a homemade meal.
• Write a letter to your future self with positive affirmations.
• Take a break from social media and focus on real-life connections.
• Practice forgiveness and let go of grudges or resentments.
• Spend time in your favorite outdoor spot, whether it's a park or garden.
• Pamper yourself with a DIY spa day.
• Reflect on your achievements and celebrate your successes.
• Donate to a charity or cause you're passionate about.
• Set boundaries and say 'no' to something that drains your energy.
• Try a new relaxation technique, like aromatherapy or meditation.
• Give yourself permission to prioritize self-care without guilt.

Creating an Advent Calendar of Kindness

Right then... I already have my first one planned. I donated blood back in October and the next donation date for me was December 23. At the time, I thought... nope, not doing that day - too close to Christmas).

Yeah. Well... just went online to Canadian Blood Services and booked my appointment for December 23! Done!

I've found a blank calendar template for December 2023 online, and I'm going home to print it. Then I'm going to pick some things off of this list of ideas and write them into each day. It's not fancy. It  doesn't have cutesy little doors but..... ooohhhh... wait!!!

Better idea!!! I'll print them out on little coloured slips of paper and put them in my Heinzlemännchen calendar!!!

Even better!!! Print two sets on coloured paper - one colour for me and one colour for my partner... so that we each get a slip for that day. Yes!!

I'm still going to write them out on a blank calendar because picking up some food for the food bank is a good slip to put on a Friday, when it's grocery day.

And... I think I'll create a Google calendar for this advent calendar as well... here's the link if you want to see what my 2023 Advent Calendar of Kindness looks like...

Are you going to do an Advent Calendar of Kindness??? I'd love to hear your ideas!!!