Advent Calendar: Our Kindness To Do List

If there is one thing you should know about me, it is I adore the Christmas season. Could it be because my birthday happens to fall during this magical time? Maybe. Could it be because I love putting up strings of lights, baking countless amounts of cookies, and writing little notes in cards? Yes. Perhaps it is also because I adore Christmas music, and I can still quote almost every line to It’s a Wonderful Life and Elf. (I have eclectic taste in movies).

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My favorite part of the holiday season though, is “the sparkle” and not just all the glitter ornaments that are adorned everywhere. My youngest and I were talking about Christmas and when I asked her what her favorite part of Christmas was, she said, “My heart feels like warm sparkles at Christmas time.”

While “sparkle” is a very pre-school girl term, I knew exactly what she meant by it. It’s that warm, snuggly, glittery feeling. It’s an almost indescribably warm feeling that exists when you give someone a you love a hug. When you put a letter in a mailbox. When buy someone who is hungry  a cup of coffee and something to eat. When you buy a bag full of groceries at the store and then leave them behind to donate. When you chat with the checker at the grocery store. When you bring cookies for your kids teachers. When you just read a book with your kids even though it is past their bedtime but you just want to soak up some extra time.

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That’s sparkle.

Just like the rest of the year though, December is full of  some “sparkle days” and full some some dull days. Instead of buying stopping and getting a peppermint latte for a friend, some days we are rushing out the door trying to get to soccer and someone forgets a water bottle. Some days I don’t eat until 2 pm because I have too much going on throughout the day, and I end up eating the cookies I planned to give away. Some days instead of wrapping gifts, I fold laundry.

This year though, our Advent calendar, has been keeping us in check. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll see that every day there is note with a way that we can add some sparkle to our day. Even if it is small, like just smiling at everyone we see because “smiling is our favorite.” I have been looking at it as our Kindness To Do List.

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As this holiday season brings us into the New Year, this “Sparkly To Do List” got me thinking perhaps some of these items should be on my to do list the whole year through. Maybe I should add some of these sparkly acts of kindness to my to do list for the new year too!

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What are some acts of kindness you can add to your daily routine?

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