The following is an original article from co-author of Merry and Bright, Kristin Demery.

“Did you get it?” I asked my daughter as she climbed into the car after school, freezing cold air following in her wake.

“Yep!” she said with a smile on her face, holding up a small torn piece of paper. On it, carefully spelled out in loopy handwriting, were the words hot chai with cream.

“I have mine, too,” my other daughter said, pulling off her gloves and reaching into her backpack: iced vanilla latte.

“Great!” I said, reaching for the papers to tuck them carefully into my cup holder for safekeeping.

The next morning, we left the house early so we could stop and pick up drinks from the local coffee shop for each girl’s teacher. When we arrived at school, my older daughter stepped out first and reached up to hold both drinks until her little sister could climb out and claim “her” cup for her teacher.

“Careful, it’s hot,” the big sister cautioned. Snapping a quick photo to send my husband, I waved good-bye as they held their cups in front of them like precious treasure.

For the last several years, bringing a special drink to their teachers during December is one of the many small things we’ve incorporated into our Advent season. The idea was birthed many years ago when two friends and I were chatting over coffee, bemoaning our kids’ ever-expanding Christmas lists and the season’s busyness. In the midst of a full calendar, we wanted to remind our kids (and ourselves!) that the Christmas season—while special and wonderful—is first and foremost a celebration of Jesus. Our solution was simple: Each day during the Advent season, we would intentionally do one kind act for someone else. Most acts were small, and many were free, but they quickly became one of our favorite parts of the season and a beloved tradition in our home.

Over the years, I’ve found that we’re most successful when we look for opportunities to be kind amid calendar events we’ve already scheduled or daily errands we need to accomplish. Things like picking up an extra poinsettia at the grocery store for a neighbor, sharing cookies we bake with communities we’re part of, or sending a quick text to encourage a friend don’t require much beyond a little planning. But the memories of the conversation my husband had with a service member whose gas he paid for at the pump, the baby who fell asleep in my arms at an event we volunteered at, my kids’ joy at putting small bags of candy on the windshields of cars at the nursing home, and the tight hug of a friend mourning the loss of a loved one have lingered.

Our quest to love others well through small acts of kindness reflects God’s desire for us to love him and love others. But the truth is that each kind act reminds me of the Father’s love for me, too. I find myself just as blessed as the person on the receiving end, reminded of how the gifts of time, energy, or treasure are simply small reminders of the greatest gift we’ve received: Jesus.

10 Ways to Show Christmas Kindness

1. Leave an extra-large tip for a server or purchase a cashier’s favorite candy while standing in a checkout line.
2. Send a note in the mail to someone going through a rough time.
3. Drop off a cupcake to celebrate someone else’s win.
4. Donate to an organization’s wish list (ideas: a pet shelter/humane society, children’s hospital, or local school).
5. Stick a random note of kindness under someone’s windshield.
6. Pay for someone else’s gas at the pump.
7. Drop off thank-you cards to school administrators, local law enforcement officials, or public librarians.
8. Leave a small gift in the mailbox for the mail carrier.
9. Volunteer in the community (bell-ringing is a fun one with kids).
10. Donate coloring books and crayons to a hospital waiting room.