We're not going home for Christmas this year. I'm really looking forward to Creed's first Christmas, but I know their will be times I will be a little bit blue thinking about the rest of my family together for Christmas without us (except Eli, of course who is still on his mission in Brazil). So even though Creed's not really old enough to appreciate it, I put together an activity advent calendar to count down to Christmas, mostly to assure myself a little bit of holiday cheer every day. Every day our family will open the advent calendar to discover a Christmas activity for the day. In no particular order, here are some things I think would be fun to include:
25: Attend Holiday Hop in the Short North
24: Pick out a Christmas Tree
23: Go shopping for an ornament for Creed
22: Bake Christmas cookies
21: Dance around to music from The Nutcracker
20: Watch The Santa Clause
19: Visit Wildlights at the Zoo
18: Wrap Christmas presents
17: Drive around to see Christmas lights, and deliver a prize to our favorite house
16: Buy a toy for Salvation Army’s Cheer Toy Drive
15: Collect toys for the toy drive at the ward Christmas party
14: Deliver toys to Salvation Army
13: Go to the children’s literature Christmas book club and book exchange
12: Light the fire in the fireplace and drink hot chocolate (I just picked up some peppermint syrup to add to our hot chocolate)
11: Address Christmas cards
10: Trim the tree
9: Design my own Christmas card
8: Have a snowflake cutting party
7: Select one present to open early
6: Practice playing Christmas hymns on the guitar
5: Make a handmade gift (I have some really fun plans, too bad I can't share them here)
4: Make a snowangel
3: Deliver small gifts to friends and neighbors
2: Get Creed’s picture taken with Santa
1: Read the Christmas story from the scriptures
24: Pick out a Christmas Tree
23: Go shopping for an ornament for Creed
22: Bake Christmas cookies
21: Dance around to music from The Nutcracker
20: Watch The Santa Clause
19: Visit Wildlights at the Zoo
18: Wrap Christmas presents
17: Drive around to see Christmas lights, and deliver a prize to our favorite house
16: Buy a toy for Salvation Army’s Cheer Toy Drive
15: Collect toys for the toy drive at the ward Christmas party
14: Deliver toys to Salvation Army
13: Go to the children’s literature Christmas book club and book exchange
12: Light the fire in the fireplace and drink hot chocolate (I just picked up some peppermint syrup to add to our hot chocolate)
11: Address Christmas cards
10: Trim the tree
9: Design my own Christmas card
8: Have a snowflake cutting party
7: Select one present to open early
6: Practice playing Christmas hymns on the guitar
5: Make a handmade gift (I have some really fun plans, too bad I can't share them here)
4: Make a snowangel
3: Deliver small gifts to friends and neighbors
2: Get Creed’s picture taken with Santa
1: Read the Christmas story from the scriptures
You could also make a snowperson, try Jeni's holiday flavors, check out some of the other ideas I listed last year here.
If you don't have an advent calendar, there are so many cool ones out there this year. Here are a few that I like:
This one from Garnet Hill
This Mirrored one from Target could be used to count down to any special day.
Ali Edwards made a really simple one with paper mache boxes that you can find at any craft store.
or this (this one is not an advent)
be the first to comment here, and I'll contact you to work out the details to pick them up.
How did I get so lucky as to be the first to post? :) I'd love to have any advent calendar. I still haven't figured out exactly what I want, so that means I don't have anything! So, I'd love to take you up on your offer. Thanks for the ideas!
ReplyDeleteI love advent calendars! I've been making a couple of my own for the Christmas Boutique we're at this weekend. I'll have to post pictures soon. I love the idea you're using for your calendar! What fun memories you'll make.
ReplyDeleteHappy December! It's the first, what should we do today...
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of giving a prize to the person with the decorations you like best. But Chris is concerned about area. Surely you won't include all of the city of Columbus, right? But then again, you need to have a large enough sample. But then how do you explain your prize? Best in the southwest quadrant of Hilliard? Best in these three streets? Most eye catching from a busy road? And which busy road? He wants it to be fair.
ReplyDeleteI'm tired just thinking of it. Which probably explains why we don't do fun stuff like give prizes to people who decorate their houses :)
Happy first day of December.
i guess it would have to be best of the homes were drove by this evening...locaton undisclosed!
ReplyDeleteGREAT IDEAS!!!! i did make some red & green countdown rings with the kids last week....so i'm almost getting up to your level!!!
Amen to dance around the room to music from the Nutcracker--one of my favorites!!!
ReplyDeleteWe just did the red and green paper rings, so we are open to ANY DECORATIONS you want to donate in an effort to downsize for your move. For any holiday. Wish we could've bumped into you at the Holiday Hop last night - it was a cold one!
ReplyDelete