It’s almost December 1, which means it’s almost time for our annual activity advent calendar to count down until Christmas.
We have been doing an activity advent since 2009 (when I read about it from a fellow blogger) and since then, it’s become a beloved tradition. Every year we update the list a little bit based on our own family’s plans, and as the kids grow. There are some that stick around every year because we love them, and others are there because to be honest, they are easy.
As with other years, here are some tips I’m sharing about creating your own activity calendar:
a) Don’t put dates on the activities. You may need to switch them up once and a while if something changes, illness hits etc.
b) Stock up on the stuff you need for each activities like hot chocolate or craft supplies.
c) Check your family calendar and add in activities to the 25 Days countdown list that you already know you’ll be doing – like Santa letters or a family visit. This list is also created in close consultation with my calendar based on days of the week– some activities can’t be done easily on a weekday so I made sure they were on the weekend. I also know the weekend we are planning to get the Christmas tree, so I can add that in accordingly, etc.
What’s most important about this calendar isn’t that you put too much effort into crafting the perfect activity, it’s that as a family you come together and take a few moments each day to celebrate and spend time doing something together that is festive, fun and family oriented.
That’s probably why I love it so much.
One final note: What’s up with the singing?
You’ll notice my list has a few spots where the activity for the day is to simply sing a Christmas song. My son has requested these be removed but nope – they stay. Why? Because honestly, some days are busy, or tiring, or I’m just overwhelmed so having a few ‘freebie’ days means that we still get to do an activity, but it’s extremely simple. It works!
As much as I love the holidays, I’m also a big fan of slowing things down, so when it gets to be too much, give yourself permission to skip a day (or just sing a song!)
Here are our activities for 2018. Please feel free to take any for your own list that you think you and the kids will love!
1. Write and mail letters to Santa.
2. Watch our kick-off holiday movie ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol”
3. Make clay ornaments
4. Set up a special hot chocolate bar
5. Make paper snowflakes
6. Sing Jingle Bells
7. Go to the Cumberland Heritage Museum Village of Lights
8. Get the Christmas Tree!
9.Go to Chateau Montebello
10. Decorate the Christmas Tree!
11. Buy and Bring toys to Toy Mountain
12. Dessert for supper, supper for dessert!
13. Write a special Christmas greeting to your sibling and mail it to them (it will be a nice read when they receive it!)
14. Make a list of ten things we are thankful for. Hang it where you can see it every day.
15. Make holiday wreaths
16. Decorate Christmas cookies!
17. Deliver Christmas cookies to friends and family
18. Deliver food to the local food bank collection.
19. Sing We Wish You a Merry Christmas!
20. Go for a drive to see Christmas lights at Taffy Lane.
21. Bring in snow and make maple taffy!
22. Go to Wesley Clover Parks Magic Of lights
23. Make a ginger bread house!
24. Unwrap one present (mommy and daddy get to pick which one)
25. It’s Christmas Day. Remember you have a family who loves you. And that’s the most important gift of all.
Pin it for later or next year!
