Reverse Advent Calendar Ideas

I think the fun part of the Reverse Advent Calendar is deciding who or what will benefit from your 24 days of giving. Just like your daily gives, your Reverse Advent Calendar starts with one of the 365give giving categories – people, planet or animal. We have a few ideas to get you  started this December and have added some daily giving suggestions. Ready? Lets see if any of these Reverse Advent Calendar ideas resonate with you!

A Reverse Advent Calendar That Benefits a Seniors Home – People Gives

I have a soft spot for seniors, a really big soft spot. Weekly I make sure that I do two daily gives that benefits a senior I know, or in some cases don’t know. The joy I get from listening to stories seniors have, or helping them with simple tasks that have become difficult, to bringing over homemade cookies and banana bread is immense. Seeing the smile on my seniors faces when someone has taken the time for coffee, or just drop by to deliver my fresh baked goods makes my day every time. For me it is natural to think of seniors for my Reverse Advent Calendar.

Use these ideas to fill your Reverse Advent Calendar box that can be delivered to a local seniors home.

• Make some home made baked goods
• Write a few notes of gratitude
• Audio or large print books found at a local second hand book store or at home
• Gently used clothing particularly warm clothing
• Donate snacks, soups for seniors from your cupboard
• Make a tape of Christmas carols
• Make homemade Christmas or Holiday cards
• Create some fun art pieces using recycled items from around the house. These flowers from Plastic bottles are great!

Reverse Advent Calendar That Benefits an Animal Shelter – Animal Gives

My kids this year have chosen this option for our family Reverse Advent Calendar. Here are some great ideas that will get you started!

• Click to Give – Click to give on the Greater Good website to help feed animals
• Add second hand blankets or towels from around the house to your giving box
• Purchase some dog and cat treats
• Find inexpensive animal toys
• Have a pet food drive with friends
• Like pet sanctuaries and shelters on social media
• Have a meatless day at home
• Volunteer at the shelter for an hour in the month of December
• Learn how to report animal cruelty in your community
• Offer to take care of a neighbour’s pet of they are going away for the holidays

Reverse Advent Calendar That Benefits an Environmental Organization – Planet Give

Find an environmental organization that you are passionate about. Everything you do for the next 24 days will directly go to this organization and benefit the planet.

• Click to Give  on the Greater Good Website
• Sign an online petition that benefits the environment
• Submit a blog post to your environmental organization that explains why you support them
• Like their social media pages
• Send letters of gratitude
• Have a garage sale to raise money for the organization
• Give someone a book about the environment
• Donate used clothing to a local thrift store to save the clothes from landfill
• Make your own upcycled holiday gifts and donate the money you saved to the organization
• Have a holiday party and ask for donations in lieu of hostess gifts
• Instead of giving gifts this year, make a donation to the organization on behalf of each person you would have purchased a gift for

Giving Brings More Joy Than Receiving

It is true and we all know it. The Reverse Advent Calendar is proof that making a focused 24 days of giving over the holidays brings more joy, happiness, and health to your family, your office or community organization. Doing this as a group makes 24 days of giving a breeze and helps out someone, an organization or a family who could use a concentration of joyful giving.

Happy Holidays and Happy Giving! Give the Reverse Advent Calendar a try! Check out our other blog posts The Advent Calendar That Keeps on Giving and Create Your Reverse Advent Calendar that explain the Reverse Advent Calendar and how it will bring joy to so many over the holidays.