Happy December!
Wow – I cannot even believe how fast the season is flying past. If I think of all that I need to do, I just might start hyperventilating. Since hyperventilating is not very productive, I simply make my lists and start chunking away at what needs to be done.
Today is the day our 25 Days of Giving Calendar goes up. This is the same one that I put together last year and shared with you in the post, 25 Days of Giving – A Holiday Calendar.
I am bringing it back to you this year because this year I am making a small change. Last year as you can see from the photo above, I placed the cards with the information side down. This way when we chose a tag to turn over, we were surprised to find out what our task of the day was.
Well, if your life is as busy as mine – you will realize some of the activities are more time consuming and take a bit of planning. We were constantly shuffling the tasks around to make it all workable. Not really a problem, but it seemed to diminish the intention behind the giving.
This year, I simply placed the task cards information side out. Each day we will take turns choosing what we want to do and what is feasible to make happen that given day.
In the end, it is all the same – all of the cards will be chosen and the activities completed, but without the shuffling around of swapping out cards for what we can really make happen.
I have a place for the bulletin board in my kitchen, but this jar version takes no wall space and contains all the same tasks.
A printable of the cards and complete instructions on how to make this Giving Calendar can be found on the original post, 25 Days of Giving – A Holiday Calendar.
So happy December! I hope your to-do list is manageable and you have time to truly enjoy the season and all that it means to you!
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This is such a great way to give during the holidays. We often talk about creating something like this and I just never had a great way to do it. I love this – easy for the whole family to see and participate in.
I can totally relate to time passing so fast this season! I just totally was not prepared for Christmas to come so fast and still am not ready!
Aw this is really lovely. I know what it feels like to have nothing at Christmas so I would definitely be up for something like this.
I love this idea of doing something charitable all month long and leading up until Christmas! I do like the look of the board, but we’d be more likely to do something similar with the kind of jar that you shared too. Love this!
Yes, the jar is very handy. The board is a constant reminder since it is on a kitchen wall next to the panty.
This is such a great way to lead up to christmas, especially for kids! I am way behind the ball with organising an advent calendar this year, and I much prefer this 25 days of giving (although I will have to make it 19 days, as I am late to the party) 🙂
This is a really cute idea. I like the jar version… I just wouldnt have anywhere to put the wall one. I made my daughter a cute advent calendar one year (used a mini muffin pan) and put different activities in it. I told myself I would make it again next; I think I’ll add some of these ideas.
What a wonderful tradition. That is the real spirit of Christmas.
I love this, its not only a great idea but something great to teach your kids. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks! I think teaching our children to give is a huge and very important lesson. I love seeing how my adult children have grown into real community contributors.
What a great thing to do to bring others holiday job. We are donating a lot of the kids toys and clothes to our local special needs preschool.
That is wonderful! You will be making some children very, very happy!
I absolutely love this! I think it is so important to teach our kids to give all the time but especially at this time of year!
Ah, thanks! Teaching our children to give is a huge lesson. I love seeing how my adult children have grown into real community contributors.
We have an Advent Calendar tradition in my family. I love your giving version of an Advent calendar. It’s such a meaningful way to celebrate the Advent season.
We have had our traditional Advent calendar for years. This is a nice addition!
What a beautiful post. It feels so nice to give back.
It really does feel good! I love seeing the kids’ faces beam when they experience giving.
I love this post so much! I love that you give the extra step of using a jar for those who do not have extra wall space to hang the calendar! Nice job to you and your family for committing to giving for the holidays!
Thank you, Roxanne!
This is a fabulous way to encourage family members to think of others than just their own wish list. As much as I like a surprise, I think I’d be doing it with the options visible as well.
Lol! I thought the surprise option would be fun too, but in the end I need the practicality of knowing.
I hadn’t heard of a giving calendar before, and I like both of the options you highlighted. I think it’s very smart to have hung them so you could see the description before choosing which one you want to do each day.
It is easier for us to be able to see what we are choosing 🙂
I’ve never heard of a 25 Days of Giving Calendar – it’s a really smart idea to put it where your family will see it. I could see how this will really get people into the holiday spirit. Over in my world I have been focusing on wrapping gifts, but I have to say, I think I have some time to start this project as well.
I think even one or two days of giving is just as important as a season full of giving activities. It’s about doing what we can, when we can.
I love it when I see people being so thoughtful and kind! Reminds me that there is still good in this world!
We really need those reminders, don’t we?
This melts my heart. How wonderful that you and your family are doing this. It feels so good to give back, doesn’t it?
Yes, it really feels good to give, and I love watching my children experience that joy.
What a great way to lead up to Christmas. I think there’s good wisdom in being able to see what activities are available so you can fit it into your schedule. I like the jar as an option, too for people who don’t have a lot of wall space.
Keeping the cards face up is definitely helping us out this year!