Between decorating the Christmas tree, baking cookies, watching holiday movies, and wrapping gifts, Christmas can quickly become all about what we’re receiving.
Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love those traditions. There’s something magical about Christmas morning, sipping eggnog, peeling mandarin oranges, and watching little faces light up as presents are opened.
But I also wanted my daughters to experience another kind of joy.
The joy that comes from giving.
Every year we fill Samaritan’s Purse shoeboxes, but I found myself wondering what else we could do throughout the Christmas season to help our children develop generous hearts.
That’s when the idea for our Giving Advent Calendar was born.
Instead of opening a chocolate each day, we open an activity that encourages us to bless someone else.
Some of the activities are simply festive family fun, while others encourage us to look beyond ourselves and serve others. Together they’ve become one of our favourite Christmas traditions.
Why We Chose a Giving Advent Calendar
Children naturally get excited about Christmas.
The presents, the decorations, the anticipation… there’s nothing wrong with those things. They are part of what makes Christmas so special.
But I wanted to intentionally create opportunities for my girls to experience another side of Christmas.
I wanted them to see that generosity is joyful.
That helping someone else can be just as exciting as receiving something yourself.
Some days our activity might simply be building a snowman or drinking hot chocolate together. Other days we’re buying food for the food bank or donating hats and mittens to families who need them.
The balance keeps the countdown fun while gently reminding our children that Christmas is also about loving others well.
Check out this meaningful Christmas countdown (an alternative to advent calendars)! Share on X
How to Make Your Own Giving Advent Calendar
Creating your own Giving Advent Calendar is surprisingly simple.
I designed small numbered cards on the computer, but you could just as easily use pre-cut gift tags or cardstock.
On each card, write one activity for the day.
Punch a hole through the top and tie on festive ribbon.
We placed all of our cards inside a mason jar that my oldest daughter decorated.
Every morning she eagerly pulled out the next day’s activity to discover what our family would be doing together.
When we completed an activity, we hung that card on our Christmas tree.
By Christmas Day, our tree wasn’t just filled with ornaments. It was filled with reminders of all the kindness we’d shared throughout the month.
Giving Advent Calendar Ideas
Need a little inspiration? Here are a few of the activities we included.
Donate food to the food bank
Bring your children shopping and let them help choose food to donate. It’s a wonderful opportunity to talk about families who may be struggling this Christmas.
Make Christmas cards
Homemade cards can brighten someone’s entire day. Your children could make cards for grandparents, neighbours, teachers, nursing home residents, or someone who may be spending Christmas alone.
Write to someone far away
One of our cards encouraged us to write a letter to our foster child. Depending on your family’s situation, you might write to a missionary, military member, sponsored child, or even a lonely relative.
Buy treats for an animal shelter
Kids love animals, making this one of their favourite activities. We picked up treats and donated them to our local animal shelter.
Donate a toy
Choosing a toy for another child helped my daughters think about children who may not have gifts under the tree on Christmas morning.
Donate winter clothing
Hats, mittens, scarves, and warm socks are always appreciated during our cold Canadian winters.
Even simple acts of kindness can have a lasting impact.
The Little Details Made It Even More Special
I even wrote a silly little rhyme on each card.
They were incredibly cheesy but my daughter loved reading them aloud every morning.
My oldest daughter also drew pictures on the back of every card, making each one unique. Those little personal touches made this project feel less like another craft and more like a treasured family tradition. We placed all of the cards in a jar that she decorated.
More Than Just an Advent Calendar
When I first created this Giving Advent Calendar, I simply hoped it would make Christmas a little more meaningful. What I didn’t expect was how excited my girls became each day to discover who we could bless next.
Some activities only took a few minutes. Others took a little planning. But every one of them reminded us that Christmas isn’t only about what’s under the tree. It’s about loving others because Christ first loved us.
My hope is that this tradition helps our children carry a spirit of generosity long after the Christmas decorations have been packed away.
Frequently Asked Questions About a Giving Advent Calendar
What is a Giving Advent Calendar?
A Giving Advent Calendar is an alternative to a traditional advent calendar. Instead of opening a piece of chocolate or a small gift each day, your family completes an act of kindness or generosity together. It’s a wonderful way to keep the focus on giving and serving others during the Christmas season.
What’s the difference between a Giving Advent Calendar and a traditional Advent Calendar?
A traditional advent calendar usually counts down the days until Christmas with chocolates, toys, or small surprises. A Giving Advent Calendar focuses on acts of kindness, generosity, and serving others. Many families enjoy combining both traditions, using one to celebrate the excitement of Christmas while the other encourages children to think about giving to others.
What age is a Giving Advent Calendar best for?
A Giving Advent Calendar can be adapted for almost any age. Preschoolers can help make cards, bake cookies, or choose food for the food bank. Older children and teens can take on bigger projects like volunteering, shopping for donations, or organizing acts of kindness for neighbours. The activities can be as simple or as involved as you like.
Does every activity have to cost money?
Not at all! In fact, many of our favourite activities are completely free.
Some ideas include:
- Writing encouraging notes.
- Baking cookies for a neighbour.
- Visiting a lonely friend or relative.
- Picking up litter in your community.
- Praying for someone in need.
- Making Christmas cards.
Generosity isn’t measured by how much money we spend. It’s about showing kindness and sharing God’s love with others.
Can we reuse the Giving Advent Calendar every year?
Absolutely! We keep our cards and bring them out each Christmas. Some activities stay the same, while others are swapped out depending on our family’s season of life. Over the years, it’s become a tradition that our daughters look forward to every December.
What if we miss a day?
Don’t worry! Christmas traditions are meant to bring joy, not stress.
If life gets busy, simply combine two activities on another day or skip one altogether. The goal isn’t to complete every single card. It’s to create opportunities for your family to serve others together.
Where can I find more Giving Advent Calendar ideas?
If you’re looking for even more inspiration, I’ve created a printable list with 45 meaningful Giving Advent Calendar ideas. Simply download it below, choose the activities that work best for your family, and start creating a Christmas tradition your children will remember for years to come.
Grab Your Free Giving Advent Calendar Ideas
If you’d like to create your own Giving Advent Calendar, I’ve put together 45 meaningful activity ideas to help you get started.
Simply download the printable below, choose your favourite activities, and create a Christmas tradition your family will look forward to year after year.
If you’re thinking of creating your own Meaningful Christmas Countdown, this printable gives you a list of 45 fabulous ideas!
I’d love to hear from you!
Does your family have a meaningful Christmas tradition that helps your children focus on giving rather than receiving? Share it in the comments below. Your ideas might inspire another family to start a new tradition this Christmas!
If you like it, I invite you to pin it!
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That’s totally awesome!! Brilliant idea! :)
Thanks! I think my girls will enjoy this and it is my hope that it will help them have more empathy towards those less fortunate.
Oh my gosh I love this! What a fantastic idea. We participate in giving during the holidays, but having an advent for each day around giving is so wonderful. I love that you do this with your family.
And mandarin oranges huh? Interesting choice. I’m sure there’s a story there…. ;)
Have a wonderful afternoon my dear!
xoxo
you’ve inspired me! Still plenty of time to create some Christmas activities that have true worth and meaning behind them. I better get going on this. squeeeeee!!!
a beautiful idea-a whole month of giving! love it. look forward to hearing where it takes you and your family :) (and I can;t resist: Merry Christmas! I am so ready!)
So happy to inspire you! Please let me know how your Christmas countdown activity goes!
This is such a great idea! Just the type of thing I’d like to do with my children someday :)
I think my girls will like this a lot too! Have fun with your prep! Thanks for visiting.
So glad you enjoyed this post. I’m pretty excited about it.
I thought EVERYONE eats mandarin oranges on Christmas morning!?
Wishing you a lovely evening my friend.
xoxo
I think it will be a wonderful “advent-ure” for us! So excited to start! I’m so ready for Christmas too!
Thanks Tammy! I hope that they gain a lot from this experience and it’s something I would like to incorporate year-round.
What an awesome idea. I might just have to steal this idea from you. I try and instill in my kids that it’s better to give than to receive and while we give a lot, I still have selfish kids.
Thanks! I’m happy to inspire someone else to teach their children to focus on giving!
This is BRILLIANT. I love the idea of being intentional in planning to give/serve each day with our kids. Thank you for this amazing idea, and for your list! Gotta share. <3
I love the poems from your meaningful Christmas countdown. Do you share them anywhere?
Sorry Michelle, I don’t have the original set / poems. The original document was lost in a computer catastrophe.