Last year I had big aspirations for an Advent Calendar. Then Advent came…and went.
This year I was sure I wanted to get something done in time.
I’d seen and heard of a lot of different Advent style calendars…some homemade, some store bought…some activity based, some all about gifts.
I really want to make sure our girls know that Christmas is about so much more than just opening presents and Santa and reindeer.
Around the beginning of November I set out to make my own Advent calendar and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out…
Rylee is loving it so far. Every day is something different. Some things are just fun activities. There are a couple of gifts. They all center around family time. Before we find out what the “activity of the day” is, I read a reading out of the book “Getting Ready for Christmas: A Daily Advent Prayer & Activity Book for the Family“. At the end of it all, it will double as a banner than says “Merry Christmas!”.
Here’s the daily breakdown:
- Deck the Halls!
- Go see the Christmas Story in lights & drink hot cocoa.
- Make Mistletoe
- Play the gingerbread dice game
- Make Clothespin Christmas Trees
- Go see Santa
- Family Movie Night: Watch Polar Express & Eat popcorn
- Assemble care packages for the homeless
- Choose name(s) off the Giving Tree. Go get a Christmas Tree!!
- Decorate the Christmas Tree
- Make a gingerbread house
- Snowman Pancakes for dinner!!
- Make a popsicle stick snowman face
- Go to Rylee’s Christmas Program then go get ice cream
- Celebrate Christmas with Uncle Hunt & Aunt Donna/Christmas activity book on the drive
- Go shopping for the Giving Tree & school teachers
- Make snowflakes
- Wrap gifts for teachers
- Make a Santa face with cotton balls
- Read new book (God Gave us Christmas)
- Go look at Christmas lights
- Make mitten garland & ornaments
- Christmas Baking Party!
- Write a letter to/draw a picture for Santa
- Celebrate!!
I’ve been taking daily photos and posting them on instagram…
And the winner so far??
Are you doing anything to prepare your kiddo(s) for Christmas? Do you do an Advent Calendar? This is our first year, and I’m already looking forward to making this an annual tradition!
I love this idea! A great way to have family time and celebrate the season! Another Advent activity that I just love is to wrap up 25 Christmas stories, then each night the child or children get to choose a present to open. The nice thing for me is that I already have a ton of Christmas books, so you just make sure you have 25. Then each year you can add a new one or two and remove some. Have a great time with your girls!
Hi! I'm new to your blog :) I'm doing a Christmas Countdown this year, which is similar to your advent calendar. Next year, I'd love to make one to actually put up on the wall!