Advent Activities



Looking for ways to enjoy the Christmas season with your kids? I never seem to have a problem coming up with ideas, but it always seems we run short on time to fit it all in. So we started a new tradition this year: the Christmas Jar. I cleaned out an old olive jar and removed the label, tied a red ribbon around it, and cut up slips of scrapbooking paper on which to write activities. I let the girls draw a slip of paper from the jar on the mornings when I know we can devote some time to something fun and Christmas-y. I don't strive to fill each day with something, because sometimes we're busy enough with just regular tasks and appointments. So the night before, I stategically select 3 or 4 things I know we can accomplish. That way, whatever they pick will fit into our day instead of the other way around. This also lets me take into consideration things like weather. Anyway, here are the ideas I used:
  • Have hot chocolate

  • Take a drive to see Christmas lights

  • Buy candy cane ice cream

  • Make cookies

  • Watch a Christmas movie

  • Read Christmas books by the fire

  • Make caramel corn and deliver it to our neighbors

  • Take some cookies to our librarians

  • Make cards for friends and teachers

  • Write letters to Santa

  • Build a gingerbread house


I don't know if we'll get to all of these, but the point is, the girls think it's very exciting to see what the Christmas Jar holds in store for us, and it makes me give conscious thought the night before to how we can enjoy the holidays even more this year.

What is your favorite family tradition?


P.S. This idea was inspired by a link forwarded to me from my friend, Christine (thanks, Christine!). The Good Stuff Guide offers a re-invention of the advent calendar with this countdown to Christmas idea. I didn't have a place to put all of those stockings, and the idea of doing something every day daunted me, so I adapted it as described above. Here's a picture of the stockings, though.

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