This is my favourite advent calendar we do, and it is a little different every year. (I should also mention that it is an idea I lifted off my brilliant sister. Ahh, the advantages of having siblings!)
Essentially, you do something with your family every day, which is why it is my favourite.
Last year I finally found a wooden advent calendar with hinged doors for days 1-24, (I'd been searching for just the right one for ages) and so I write the activity for each day and put it in the spaces. But before that, I would use fun little envelopes and write the numbers 1-24 on the front and the kids would open a new envelope every day. I have also seen a cute set up of using Christmasy baby socks on a string to make a garland, and each little sock has the day's activity written down inside of it. Whatever delivery system you want to use is great. So, each day the kids take a turn getting the slip of paper and we read it together and then do the activity.
We have had lots of fun with it in past years. I try to make sure we have some games, some crafts, some baking, and some service all mashed into those weeks before Christmas comes. There are big projects (like making and decorating a gingerbread house) and small, relaxed ones, (like watching a Christmas movie together), which keeps things varied and helps on days when you have a lot or a little bit of time available.
In past years, we have:
Made salt dough reindeer...
Gone tobogganing...
Made detergent snowmen...
Baked lots and lots and lots of cookies....
Played in the snow...
And decorated the tree.This year, since I am due with our fifth baby in the middle of the month, I tried to do the 'bigger' projects at the start of the month, and work my way into some lighter, easier to do, activities for the later half of the month, since I assume I'll be somewhat busier.
Here is this year's line up:
December 1: Write letter to Santa
December 2: make and decorate gingerbread house
December 3: Kid Christmas Party
December 4: Sugar Cookies
December 5: Go caroling and deliver goodies to neighbours
December 6: Make pom-pom ornaments
December 7: Decorate wooden nut crackers
December 8: Jelly-bean Santa game
December 9: Make paper snowflakes
December 10: Make Rudolph cake pops
December 11: Bake gingerbread men
December 12: Chocolate lollipops
December 13: Paint the Christmas tree puzzle, then assemble it
December 14: Make lamingtons
December 15: School Christmas concert
December 16: Church Christmas Party
December 17: Watch Christmas movie
December 18: Make Christmas crayons
December 19: Play Pass-the-Parcel
December 20: Watch out, Rudolph!
December 21: Paint ornaments
December 22: Pipe cleaner craft
December 23: Go tobogganing
December 24: Watch Nativity Pageant
Looks like it is shaping up to be a fun December!
Wait! You didn't put down have a baby? How oh how will it know which day to come?
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