Random Acts of Kindness to Try Over the Festive Season
Lower temperatures have hit the UK, with less hours of sunlight impacting people experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder. In fact, searches for “living with Seasonal Affective Disorder” have increased by 130% since last year, so how can we be as kind as possible to friends, family and complete strangers in the run up to Christmas? With new research from greetings card marketplace thortful finding that almost a third (31%) of Brits feel accomplished when they give one, and over a quarter (26%) claiming it restores their faith in humanity when they receive one, they are on a mission to help people spread positive one random act at a time.
Currently, 29% of Brits are carrying out random acts of kindness multiple times per week, with 15% even doing them daily. However, 12% do them monthly, 7% admit to every few months, and 2% even claim to only do them once per year. Glasgow is officially the kindest UK city, with 31% of people carrying out a random act of kindness every single day, followed closely by Southampton (28%) and Birmingham (26%).
To help spread kindness, we have worked with thortful to put together 100 random acts of kindness to try across the winter and beyond. We have also teamed up with Clinical health psychologist Dr Ravi Gill, to dig deeper into the positive impacts a small gesture can have, from how to fit them into daily routines and their impact on physical and mental health.
From everyday gestures such as holding a door open for someone, to bringing the kindness home with you, sharing it at work or school, giving back to the community, being friendly online, focussing on your own wellbeing, kindness to strangers, in friendships, to animals, nature and by surprise, explore 100 random acts of kindness:
Everyday kindness
- Smile at a stranger
- Hold the door open for someone
- Pay it forward at your favourite coffee shop
- Cut your neighbour’s grass or bring their bins back on a rainy day
- Offer to help carry someone’s heavy shopping
- Check in on a sibling
- Offer to walk your friend’s dog
- Return someone’s trolley at the supermarket
- Send a kind text to a long-distance friend
- Leave a positive post-it note in a public place
Kindness at home
- Cook dinner for your partner or family
- Do some chores (without being reminded)
- Call your grandparents
- Make your mum a cup of tea, exactly how she likes it
- Plan a surprise movie night (snacks included)
- Water your housemate’s dead plants
- Give someone a hug
- Ask a family member how they are, and really listen
- Do the weekly food shop
- Bring home surprise dessert
Kindness at work or school
- Make your co-worker a coffee
- Bring in treats for your team
- Leave a kind message on someone’s desk
- Offer to help a friend meet a tight deadline
- Teach a colleague a skill or a process
- Ask a new starter to sit with you at lunch
- Hold the door open for a classmate
- Give a genuine compliment to a teacher
- Sit with a new student on their first day
- Thank your boss, teacher, or mentor for their support
Kindness in your community
- Volunteer your time at a local food bank
- Donate a bag of clothes you no longer wear
- Leave a kind review for a local shop or café
- Leave a tip
- Buy someone experiencing homelessness a hot meal
- Take some of your older books to a little library
- Ask a customer service worker how their day is going
- Help someone in need cross a busy road
- Let someone merge in front of you in traffic
- Give directions to someone who’s lost
Online acts of kindness
- Leave an uplifting comment on someone’s post
- Send a kind DM to someone who inspires you
- Share a small creator’s post
- Recommend a friend’s business publicly
- Post something uplifting for your friends to see
- Share a funny video with a friend
- Reach out and reconnect
- Donate to an online fundraiser
- Post something genuine to inspire others
- Shout out your best friend
Kindness to yourself
- Take a break if you’re feeling burnt out
- Grab your favourite sweet treat on your way home
- Spend some time in nature
- Compliment yourself
- Learn that it’s fine to say no when you need to
- Do something creative for fun
- Buy yourself flowers
- Have a bubble bath
- Get an early night (no doomscrolling allowed)
- Do your laundry before it turns into a mountain
Kindness to nature and animals
- Plant a tree
- Refill your bird feeder
- Leave water outside for wildlife on a hot day
- Donate old blankets to an animal shelter
- Plant herbs in pots and give them to friends
- Leave out squirrel-safe snacks
- Buy your friend’s dog a birthday present
- Remember your reusable shopping bags
- Join a community clean-up
- Give your pet an extra-long cuddle
Surprise kindness
- Hide a £5 note with a kind message
- Send flowers to your best friend out of the blue
- Bake a cake for your neighbour just because
- Lend a friend your favourite book
- Pay for the person behind you at the drive-thru
- Leave a thank you note for your postie or delivery driver
- Hide positive affirmations in random library books
- Donate a box of toys to a local charity shop
- Sneak a bar of chocolate into your partner’s pocket for a mid-day pick-me-up
- Send a random uplifting voice note
Kindness in friendships
- Give your mate a lift home, and let them control the playlist
- Help a friend move house (then make them buy you pizza)
- Drop a coffee off if they’ve had a rough day
- Be the first to say sorry after a silly argument
- Plan a surprise catch-up
- Remind them that they’re smashing life
- Send them a cute postcard from your trip
- Text them an old inside joke to make them crack up
- Compliment them behind their back
- Hype up their selfie
Kindness for strangers
- Compliment someone’s outfit
- Offer up your seat on a packed bus
- Share your umbrella on a rainy day
- Offer to take a photo for a tourist
- Hold the lift doors open for someone
- Help carry someone’s pram, suitcase, or bags up the stairs
- Hand in a lost item
- Let someone go ahead of you in a queue
- Leave spare change in a vending machine
- Smile and thank the bus driver
The impact of a random act of kindness can have an extremely positive effect on our mood, self-worth, confidence and empowerment. Almost a third (31%) feel accomplished when they give one, and 26% admit it restores their faith in humanity when they receive one.
| How people feel about random acts of kindness | Percentage |
| I feel accomplished when I give one | 31% |
| It restores my faith in humanity when I receive one | 26% |
| It makes my whole day when I receive one | 25% |
| It gives me a sense of purpose when I give one | 22% |
| I feel less stressed when I give one | 16% |
| It makes me feel more connected to others when I give one | 12% |
| It makes me want to do more kind gestures when I give one | 10% |
How random acts of kindness affect our mood
Dr Ravi Gill explains, “Giving or receiving random acts of kindness has a powerful positive impact on mood. Acts of kindness trigger the release of “feel-good” neurochemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, which boost happiness, reduce stress, and strengthen social bonds. Performing kind acts also enhances a sense of purpose and self-worth, while receiving kindness fosters feelings of gratitude, safety, and connection. Overall, even small gestures can create an upward spiral of positive emotions for both giver and receiver.”
How random acts of kindness affect our output on life
Dr Ravi Gill continues, “Engaging in random acts of kindness can significantly shape how we perceive and approach life — our “output” in terms of attitudes, behaviours, and overall functioning.”
- Shifts Perspective Toward Positivity: Performing or receiving kind acts activates positive emotions and reinforces optimistic thinking. According to Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-Build Theory, these positive emotions expand our mindset, helping us notice opportunities and approach challenges more creatively and resiliently.
- Enhances Purpose and Meaning: Acts of kindness foster a sense of purpose and contribution, which psychologists link to greater life satisfaction and motivation. Studies (e.g., Layous et al., Journal of Positive Psychology, 2012) show that helping others strengthens our sense of meaning — a key predictor of psychological well-being and proactive life engagement.
- Builds Social Capital: Kindness strengthens social bonds and trust, which enhances support networks. Strong relationships are one of the best predictors of success, resilience, and longevity (Harvard Study of Adult Development, 2017).
- Promotes a Growth Mindset: Consistently practicing kindness builds empathy and emotional intelligence. These traits improve communication, leadership, and problem-solving — all of which enhance our personal and professional “output.”
- Creates a Positive Feedback Loop: The “helper’s high” — the rewarding feelings after kind acts — encourages continued prosocial behaviour. Over time, this habit reshapes our worldview, leading us to see life as more interconnected, purposeful, and full of opportunity.
How random acts of kindness affect our physical health
Dr Ravi Gill says “As acts trigger the release of feel-good hormones like oxytocin and endorphins, which lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and boost the immune system. Acts of kindness are also linked to lower cortisol levels, improved heart health, and even increased lifespan. Over time, these small positive actions contribute to a healthier body and greater overall vitality.”
Why people should fit random acts of kindness into their daily routines
Dr Ravi Gill concludes “People should fit random acts of kindness into their daily routines because they’re simple yet powerful ways to improve overall well-being — for both themselves and others. Kindness boosts mood, reduces stress, and supports physical health by releasing feel-good hormones. It also strengthens social connections, builds empathy, and adds a sense of purpose and meaning to everyday life. Over time, these small actions create a more positive outlook, enhance resilience, and contribute to a kinder, more supportive community.”