Community Groups Will Thrive with This Reverse Advent Calendar Idea

Attention all Church groups, block and neighborhood associations and all volunteer groups. Are you looking for new ways to remind people to give over the holidays?  Maybe you want to give your own members a different kind of gift to promote the real spirit of giving.  Or how about a new holiday fund-raising idea? This Reverse Advent Calendar Idea is a great way to share the holidays and spread joy this month.

A New Way to Give Over the Holidays – Reverse Advent Calendar Idea

At this busy season, it’s hard for to see beyond your own family and friends for holiday giving. But as a community group you have a real opportunity to tell people how giving goes beyond family and friends.

You can do this with the time-tested holiday favourite – the Advent Calendar. As you know, with an advent calendar, one little window opens each day over the 24 days leading up to Christmas. Each window reveals a chocolate or a small gift to excite children before the special day.

But here’s a twist. It’s the Reverse Advent Calendar – the Calendar that Gives Back.  Instead of each little window delivering a sweet or gift, they open to present a daily idea that gives you an idea of how to do a kind deed every day; how you can help someone, or give your time to something, or start a little “Be Kind Beyond the Holidays” trend. These are small things that can make a big difference to someone or something needing help. You’ll be surprised how it will make a big difference to the givers too. Those who use the Reverse Calendar feel the difference. Instead of feeling like they’ve spent too much money, they can feel good about helping those in need.

And after all, isn’t that what the season is all about?

Maybe you’d like to make your own Reverse Advent Calendar.  There are many videos on YouTube to guide you every step of the way.

Or just search “How to make an advent calendar” online, and several answers will come up.  They are inexpensive to make and most materials are right at home – like cereal boxes, toilet paper or paper tower tubes, wrapping paper and tape.

Now you have to come up with 24 ways to give. These can be spelled out on colourful pieces of paper, folded and slipped into each daily window.  As a community group you may want to make enough yourselves to sell at a holiday event as a fund-raiser.  Or prepare a How-to example sheet that talks about the idea of a Reverse Advent Calendar and is given out in the community.

Ten Reverse Advent Calendar Giving Ideas

1. Rake the leaves or sweep the snow in your elderly neighbour’s yard.
2. Walk another child to school with your own to help out a parent.
3. Let someone go onto a busy subway train before you.
4. Be gracious if someone gives you something you don’t really want.
5. Offer to drive someone to get a Covid shot.
6. Gather your gently used clothing and take it to a pick-up destination.
7. Buy an extra coffee and snack and give it to a homeless person.
8. Pick a favourite charity and commit to donating just $5 a month.
9. Make a Give-Back box for the local Food Bank and each day the Calendar will tell you what no n-perishable food to put in.
10. Get your kids at home or at school to make a Give-Back Box. Each window in the Calendar provides an idea for a used toy that can go in the box. The box then goes to a local community Holiday Toy Drive.

Bring Happiness And Joy To Your Community This December

The holiday season is a season of joy – unless you need help. With the Reverse Advent Calendar, you have 24 ways to help. As a group, you have the chance to really spread the word about giving over the holidays. If you want other ideas about the Reverse Advent Calendar download our 365give Advent Calendar tools – completed Reverse Advent Calendars that have your giving straight away! Our volunteers have put together a People Give Calendar, an Animal Give Calendar and a Planet Give Calendar. If you already have some great giving ideas, download the 365give Blank Reverse Advent Calendar and start putting your giving ideas on each day! Enjoy your December giving and remember you can change the world one give, one day at a time!