This December, we’re championing kindness in all its forms through HuffPost UK’s Kindness Advent Calendar. Check back daily (until 24 December) for new stories focusing on how individuals and communities are going above and beyond to help others in their times of need. When you work in a newsroom, there is no switching off from the horrors that unfold around the world every single day. Wars, humanitarian crises, world leaders fuelling division, violence, global warming, racism, misogyny, greed. It can feel like there is a lot wrong with the world – and well, quite clearly there is. But there is also a lot right with it, if you know where to look. Unfortunately, these stories aren’t always as appealing to algorithms because they don’t provoke extreme human reactions like anger and shock (the term ‘rage-baiting’ exists for a reason!). But they do show us what can happen when we choose something different: a path of connection, of caring, of helping others, no matter what they look like, where they’re from, who they choose to love, or how they identify. While this year has felt incredibly bleak and hopeless at several points, there are people choosing a brighter path. People like Rachel Griffin Accurso, more widely known as Ms Rachel – the YouTuber-turned-Netflix-star who has used her massive platform to shine a spotlight on the children of Gaza , who have faced unfathomable levels of death and destruction in recent years. Honoree Rachel Griffin Accurso (aka Ms Rachel) attends the Glamour Women of the Year Awards at The Plaza Hotel on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) She’s organised uplifting days out for child amputees who’ve escaped the horrors of war, and has repeatedly called world leaders out over their inaction when Israeli forces prevented aid from entering Gaza, prompting widespread malnutrition, suffering and. Despite facing a backlash from certain organisations and individuals, she has continued to unapologetically support families in Gaza, as well as raise awareness of the plight faced by kids in Sudan and around the world – and all of this while juggling postpartum life (it’s easy to forget she has a family of her own, including a nine-month-old baby ). While many celebrities with much larger followings stayed quiet, Accurso boldly said: enough. “I wouldn’t be Ms Rachel if I didn’t deeply care about all kids. And I would risk everything, and I will risk my career over and over to stand up for them. It’s all about the kids for me,” she told radio station WBUR earlier this year. The reality is: there are thousands of Ms Rachels out there, tirelessly fighting for change, getting up each day and choosing to put others’ needs first. With Christmas coming up, we at HuffPost UK want to celebrate those compassionate humans among us who are going out of their way to help others – whether through hosting refugees in their homes, or helping elderly neighbours keep warm as the cost of living bites. We’ll also be sharing some of the small but meaningful ways you can give back to the community, or help others, in everyday life. You often won’t see many of the people we speak to making front-page headlines or dominating conversations – but they deserve to. I’m excited to share their stories of kindness, love, and decency. And I really hope you’ll enjoy reading them, too. Related... The Sweet History Behind World Kindness Day This 'Kindness Rule' Is A Perfect Way To Teach Children How To Be Considerate