Humanists UK is encouraging supporters this year to download Action for Happiness’s 2025 Do Good December calendar, which offers simple daily ideas for small acts of kindness to create a better world.
Organised like a festive advent calendar, each day in the December calendar contains a prompt for a positive action to promote happiness, kindness, and mental wellbeing. From checking in on someone who may need support, to sharing a positive message or helping a neighbour, each prompt in the Go Good December calendar offers a gentle and easy reminder of everyday actions we can all take in our own lives to make a meaningful difference.
As well as each individual act of kindness being important in its own right, collectively, these small actions contribute to Humanists UK’s vision of a kinder, more rational society, informed by humanist values. At a time of year often filled with hustle and noise, it provides a welcome antidote.
The more in the world you encounter kindness, and cheerfulness (which is kind of its amiable uncle or aunt), the better the world always is – and all the big words: virtue, justice, truth, are dwarfed by the greatness of kindness.
Across cultures, winter traditions have long centred on the same human truths: connection, generosity, compassion, and simple kindness. For humanists, these are the values that give the season its meaning. December is a natural moment to pause, reflect, and consider how we can put those values into practice – finding small, everyday ways to brighten the darkest month of the year.
Taking a moment to reach out, offer help, or simply listen can feel grounding, and it’s proven to increase one’s own happiness, too. This is something many humanists know well. Across the UK, over 1,000 Humanists UK volunteers, pastoral carers, celebrants, and community organisers are working year-round to support others, build connections, and bring people together – whether by offering a compassionate ear in a hospital, helping someone through bereavement, or creating spaces for those who might otherwise feel alone.
At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, one in three Humanists UK members reported formal or informal volunteering of this sort. More widely, polling shows that, contrary to some popular assumptions, there is no statistically meaningful difference in levels of volunteering between religious and non-religious people.
The Do Good December calendar echoes this spirit and invites each of us, in our own way and at our own pace, to bring a little more kindness into the world: to notice who might need support, appreciate those who help us, and act with warmth, generosity, and care.
Happiness consists in making all around us happy
Notes
Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 150,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We provide ceremonies, pastoral care, education, and support services benefitting over a million people every year and our campaigns advance humanist thinking on ethical issues, human rights, and equal treatment for all.
About Action for Happiness
Action for Happiness is a movement of people, powered by a small UK charity, founded by experts. Our mission is to create a better world for everyone by building a culture that prioritises happiness and kindness.
The December calendar is part of the Action for Happiness ‘Do good December’ campaign, and is part of their wider work delivering Kindness Calendars – downloaded by over 2 million people and translated into 26 languages by volunteers and supporters around the world.
The Kindness Calendar is based on research collated for the 10 Keys to Happier Living. These include Giving: do kind things for others, Relating: connect with people, Meaning: feel part of something bigger than yourself and Emotions: look for what’s good.
Relating | Action for Happiness