A small act of kindness can have a significant impact on someone's day, and that's what World Kindness Day is all about.

Holding the door open, offering a compliment, paying for someone's coffee, or handing someone a flower just because you can, World Kindness Day celebrates acts of kindness big and small.

The international day highlights the good deeds done in communities across the globe and has been celebrated for nearly 30 years.

So, whether you're donating to charity or helping someone carry their groceries, here's what you need to know about World Kindness Day and how it got its start.

When is World Kindness Day?

World Kindness Day falls on Nov. 13 every year.

This year it will fall on a Thursday.

What is World Kindness Day?

World Kindness Day is an international day of awareness that highlights and encourages people to do simple acts of kindness that positively impact people and communities.

When did World Kindness Day start?

The day started in 1998 with the World Kindness Movement, according to the nonprofit's website.

"World Kindness Day is to highlight good deeds in the community, focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness which binds us," the nonprofit stated.

How can you celebrate World Kindness Day?

There are so many ways people can celebrate World Kindness Day, as long as what they plan to do makes a positive impact on someone's day.

Whether it's leaving a positive note or donating to a charity, ways you can celebrate World Kindness Day 2025 include:

  • Pay someone a sincere compliment
  • Hold the door open for someone
  • Gather lightly used toys, clothes, and bedding to donate to homeless or women's shelters
  • Purchase new toiletries, like toothbrushes, toothpaste, bodywash, menstrual pads, and more, that can be donated to shelters
  • Donate books to a local library
  • Donate money to a charitable cause if you are in a position to do so

These are just a few ideas. There are plenty of simple things you can do to celebrate and contribute your kindness to the world.

Julia is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers scientific studies and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: World Kindness Day is Nov. 13. What it is and how you can celebrate.

Reporting by Julia Gomez, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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