#givingtuesday kicks off bright and early on Tuesday 2 December.  If you’re just discovering it for the first time, fear not!  Here’s 10 of our favourite quick and easy ways to get involved in #givingtuesday.

Feel free to add more suggestions in the comments below, or tweet them to @stewardshipnews or@40acts and we’ll share more of our favourites on the day. Remember to include #givingtuesday in your message to help us keep track!

1. #UNselfie - The original and best way to join #givingtuesday.  Take a selfie but cover your face with a message of support for your favourite charity. Share the image on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or your own social networks of choice.
2. Make some #givingtuesday noise – Tell your friends, family, colleagues and classmates about #givingtuesday on 2nd December. Cut and paste this if you’re stuck for words:

   Today is #givingtuesday! A whole day devoted to giving that’s spreading around the world. Find out more at www.givingtuesday.org.uk.
   

3. Give a little extra – an obvious one but easy to forget.  We can’t have a day of giving without any giving after all.  If you are able, how about making an extra one-off gift to support your favourite charity on 2nd December?  Let them decide where to use it and, for maximum efficiency, tell them you don’t need a thank you!
4. Pledge your time – Have you been thinking about volunteering but not done something about it?  Make #givingtuesday the day to commit some time to a charity.  If you can’t volunteer regularly, why not challenge yourself to give up 1 day of holiday to help a group or charity nearby?
5. Tell your charity why you love them - take a few minutes to send a note to one or more charities you support and admire.  Tell them why you think they’re so special and remind them of all the excellent work that they’re doing.  And don’t forget to include these wonderful words at the end of your message “no reply needed – you’ve got better things to do/lives to save/a world to change”
   
6. Get ready for Christmas right – don’t let Christmas shopping, parties, lights and endless tidying crowd out the importance of the Advent season.  If you need help focussing, its not too late to sign up for #AdventWonder, a series of reflections delivered by email throughout December that unpack the generosity at the heart of the Advent story.
7. Make a secret gift – leave a gift for a friend at work, surprise a neighbour or family member, or even pick a random online wedding list (our personal favourite) and order something nice for a couple you’ll never meet.
8. Share our #givingtuesday video – Coming soon!  We’ve prepared a little treat for #givingtuesday to help start conversations and spread a little joy.  Follow us on twitter orfacebook to be the first to see it!  If you can’t wait, check out our YouTube channel for more inspiration, or watch this brilliant animation from the Giving Tuesday team in America.
9. Get serious about giving - one day of giving is great, but your regular giving throughout the year is what can really make a difference.  Use #givingtuesday as an excuse to really think through your current giving, how much you’re giving and to whom.  A Stewardship Giving Account is a great way to get serious about giving and organise it all from one simple-to-use account.
10. Our mystery #givingtuesday challenge! - not for the feint-hearted.  On #givingtuesday we’re challenging our 40acts community to join us for 40 Generous Acts in 440 minutes!  Follow@40acts to find out more or follow the live feed here.