Our story

My Kindness Advent Calendar is a premium-quality reusable wall calendar that helps teach kids about kindness by counting down to Christmas with daily acts of giving instead of getting. Our calendars encourage people young and old to build and strengthen their "giving" muscles by practicing daily acts of kindness together and help to instill kindness, compassion, and empathy in kids.

My Kindness Calendar was directly inspired by founder Maran Stern-Kubista's personal experience as a mother. When her daughter was 3 and December rolled around, she noticed a gap in her family's traditions and the way they prepared for the holidays - while the holidays were full of beautiful traditions around food, crafts, music and more, there was no tangible way for her young daughter to participate in traditions of giving. So that year, a new family tradition and “My Kindness Advent Calendar” was born. With construction paper and painter's tape, they mounted a tree on the wall surrounded by kind ideas, each accompanied by a simple picture so her daughter could recognize the idea, without yet being able to read the words. As with a traditional advent calendar, they used the calendar daily in December, but instead of getting a toy or candy, would choose an act of kindness to do together. It was something they looked forward to each day, and presented an easy and accessible way to start important conversations about helping others, being kind, and other topics deemed important to discuss.

Having seen the impact in her own home as well as through years of experience overseeing youth empowerment and leadership programs across the country, Maran has seen countless young people make action plans to create change and practice kindness in their communities. My Kindness Advent Calendar is an easy, fun and accessible way to empower kids and families to practice daily kindness and do those great things that kids can and will do, if we give them the opportunity and set the example early.