Lower temperatures and reduced daylight hours have affected people across the UK, with searches for “living with seasonal affective disorder” rising as winter sets in. The growing interest reflects a need for supportive gestures during the run up to Christmas.

New research from greetings card marketplace thortful shows that 31% of Brits feel accomplished when they give a random act of kindness, while 26% say receiving one restores their faith in humanity. Thortful aims to encourage small, positive actions throughout winter.

The study found that 29% of people carry out random acts of kindness several times per week and 15% do so daily. 12% perform them monthly, 7% every few months, and 2% only once each year. Glasgow tops the list of kindest UK cities, with 31% saying they complete a daily random act of kindness, followed by Southampton at 28% and Birmingham at 26%.

To support this trend, thortful has collected 100 ideas for simple acts of kindness and partnered with clinical health psychologist Dr Ravi Gill to explain how these gestures can support both physical and mental health.

Everyday kindness

1. Smile at a stranger.
2. Hold the door open for someone.
3. Pay it forward at your favourite coffee shop.
4. Cut your neighbour’s grass or bring their bins back on a rainy day.
5. Offer to help carry someone’s heavy shopping.
6. Check in on a sibling.
7. Offer to walk your friend’s dog.
8. Return someone’s trolley at the supermarket.
9. Send a kind text to a long-distance friend.
10. Leave a positive post-it note in a public place.

Kindness at home

11. Cook dinner for your partner or family.
12. Do some chores without being reminded.
13. Call your grandparents.
14. Make your mum a cup of tea exactly how she likes it.
15. Plan a surprise movie night with snacks.
16. Water your housemate’s dead plants.
17. Give someone a hug.
18. Ask a family member how they are and really listen.
19. Do the weekly food shop.
20. Bring home surprise dessert.

Kindness at work or school

21. Make your co-worker a coffee.
22. Bring in treats for your team.
23. Leave a kind message on someone’s desk.
24. Offer to help a friend meet a tight deadline.
25. Teach a colleague a skill or a process.
26. Ask a new starter to sit with you at lunch.
27. Hold the door open for a classmate.
28. Give a genuine compliment to a teacher.
29. Sit with a new student on their first day.
30. Thank your boss, teacher, or mentor for their support.

Kindness in your community

31. Volunteer at a local food bank.
32. Donate clothes you no longer wear.
33. Leave a kind review for a local shop or café.
34. Leave a tip.
35. Buy someone experiencing homelessness a hot meal.
36. Take older books to a little library.
37. Ask a customer service worker how their day is going.
38. Help someone cross a busy road.
39. Let someone merge in traffic.
40. Give directions to someone who is lost.

Online acts of kindness

41. Leave an uplifting comment on someone’s post.
42. Send a kind message to someone who inspires you.
43. Share a small creator’s post.
44. Recommend a friend’s business publicly.
45. Post something uplifting for others.
46. Share a funny video with a friend.
47. Reach out and reconnect.
48. Donate to an online fundraiser.
49. Post something genuine to inspire others.
50. Shout out your best friend.

Kindness to yourself

51. Take a break if you feel burnt out.
52. Buy your favourite sweet treat on the way home.
53. Spend time in nature.
54. Compliment yourself.
55. Learn that it is fine to say no.
56. Do something creative for fun.
57. Buy yourself flowers.
58. Have a bubble bath.
59. Get an early night without doomscrolling.
60. Do your laundry before it piles up.

Kindness to nature and animals

61. Plant a tree.
62. Refill your bird feeder.
63. Leave water for wildlife on a hot day.
64. Donate blankets to an animal shelter.
65. Plant herbs and give them to friends.
66. Leave out squirrel safe snacks.
67. Buy your friend’s dog a birthday gift.
68. Remember your reusable shopping bags.
69. Join a community clean up.
70. Give your pet an extra long cuddle.

Surprise kindness

71. Hide a £5 note with a kind message.
72. Send flowers to your best friend unexpectedly.
73. Bake a cake for your neighbour.
74. Lend a friend your favourite book.
75. Pay for the person behind you at the drive thru.
76. Leave a thank you note for your postie or delivery driver.
77. Hide positive affirmations in random library books.
78. Hide positive affirmations in random library books.
79. Donate a box of toys to a charity shop.
80. Sneak chocolate into your partner’s pocket as a pick me up.
81. Send a random uplifting voice note.

Kindness in friendships

81. Give a friend a lift home and let them choose the music.
82. Help a friend move house.
83. Drop off a coffee if they have had a difficult day.
84. Be the first to apologise after a minor argument.
85. Plan a surprise catch up.
86. Remind them they are doing well.
87. Send a postcard from your trip.
88. Text an old inside joke.
89. Compliment them behind their back.
90. Support their selfie.

Kindness for strangers

91. Compliment someone’s outfit.
92. Offer your seat on a crowded bus.
93. Share your umbrella on a rainy day.
94. Offer to take a photo for a tourist.
95. Hold the lift doors open.
96. Help carry a pram or bags up the stairs.
97. Hand in a lost item.
98. Let someone go ahead in a queue.
99. Leave spare change in a vending machine.
100. Thank the bus driver.

How kindness affects well-being

The research also explored how people feel about these acts. Thirty one percent feel accomplished when they give one, 26% say receiving one restores their faith in humanity, 25% say it makes their whole day, 22% feel it gives them purpose, 16% feel less stressed, 12% feel more connected, and 10% feel encouraged to continue being kind.

Dr Ravi Gill says: “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.”

Dr Gill adds: “Engaging in random acts of kindness can significantly shape how we perceive and approach life. Performing kind acts activates positive emotions and reinforces optimistic thinking. These emotions expand our mindset, helping us notice opportunities and approach challenges more creatively and resiliently. Acts of kindness foster a sense of purpose and contribution, build social bonds, and support empathy and emotional intelligence.”

He also notes that these gestures contribute to physical health. “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 increased lifespan.”

Dr Gill concludes: “People should fit random acts of kindness into their daily routines because they are simple yet powerful ways to improve overall well-being for both themselves and others.”