25 Days of Christmas
Family Advent Calendar
by Jennifer Cooper, posted on December 1st, 2010 in Parties & Celebrations
As a kid, I knew Christmas was coming when my parents broke out the advent calendar. Each night before bed, my brothers, sister and I would rock, paper, scissors our way to find out which of us was the lucky one to open that night’s little window. We’d peel pack the cardboard to reveal some hidden picture: a fox, Santa’s boot, an angel.
My parents were clever—they never bought us a candy filled calendar. I can only imagine the ruckus we’d create fighting over who got the chocolate each evening. No, our calendar was more of a simple treat and honestly, for us kids at least, it was used as a countdown to present opening time more than anything else.
As an adult, I’ve realized that I take the lead up to Christmas for granted. Every year, I am swamped with work and the whole season passes me by in the blink of an eye. But this Christmas I’m going to try to make a change. This Christmas, we’re doing a Family Advent Calendar.
The idea: Somewhere around dinner, our kids are going to open up a little muslin bag and pull out an activity we’ll do together as a family. I want to keep the activities simple and inexpensive. My kids are still little enough to think it’s a pretty cool idea. I want to take every opportunity I can to celebrate this.
For this project you’ll need:
muslin cut into 9 by 3 1/2 inch strips
ribbon
pinking shears
hole punch
cardstock
To make:
Fold muslin in half. Sew 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch in from edge up each of the long sides. Trim around with pinking shears. Write activities on strips of paper. Roll up then insert into muslin bags. Print out numbers on cardstock. Cut around numbers to form circles. Punch hole in top. String ribbon through hole and tie around bags.
What’s on our list:
Decorate the room
Look at holiday lights
Dance to Christmas music
Make popcorn
Decorate sugar cookies
Build a train track
Make gifts for our friends
Deliver stollen to neighbors
Wrap presents
Drink hot cocoa
Read the Grinch that Stole Christmas
Deliver toys to Toys for Tots
Cut out paper snowflakes
Pick a charity to support
Call Grandma & Grandpa
Write our Christmas lists
Make chalkboard Santas
Make finger puppets
Decorate the tree
Adopt a family
Watch a movie together
Sing carols
Put on a puppet show
Make a garland
Play a board game
Ann Williams Says:
Jennifer Cooper Reply:
December 2nd, 2010 at 1:48 am
Thanks Lori-Anne! I wanted to slow it down a bit this season. I feel like I’ve missed too many to let this one slip by.
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