Activities for Advent Calendar?

[ourbabygirl]

Please add your activities (preferably non-gift related) that you do with your kids during the holiday season or have in your own advent calendar :).
After searching various threads, I thought it would be nice to compile one big list in one spot. These aren't all religious, but they're what I could find or come up with on my own...

1. Make a red and green paper chain for the kids to tear off one link each day before Christmas
2. Make Christmas cookies/ treats
3. " and deliver them to neighbors/ relatives/ friends
4. Visit a nursing home with the kids
5. Donate toys to Toys for Tots or something similar
6. Donate food & household items to food shelters/ charity
7. Call a relative and sing a Christmas carol
8. Go sledding/ snow tubing
9. Make snow angels and snow men in the yard
10. Set up a nativity set in the home
11. Make gingerbread people/ houses (and decorate them)
12. Drive around and look at Christmas lights
13. Write a letter to someone they're thankful for (troops serving somewhere/ teacher/ relative/ friend/ etc.)
14. Go to a holiday program/ play/ concert at your school or church
15. Random act of kindness for someone

What others would you add? I'm hoping to start this tradition with DD and keep it going. :)

Thanks!

[MamaKath]

Ooooh I just saw something the other day with great ideas. I am going to see if I can quickly find it, otherwise I will have to track it down tomorrow (I know I have something at work).

ETA- Okay I just found what I was looking for but it is in a book. They suggest taking a 12 inch candle and scoring/marking it in 24 increments to light each night starting December 1. I will working on typing up the ideas they have (my connection has not been good tonight and I hate to type it and loose it) and will post it either later tonight or try to get it up tomorrow.

[MamaKath]

Here is one article with a bunch of activities for each of the 25 days meant for homeschoolers, that could be modified.

http://homeschooling.about.com/cs/unitssubjhol/a/advent125.htm

[MamaKath]

Here are some ideas of items to put on a Jesse Tree (another advent tradition).
http://www.cresourcei.org/jesse.html
http://www.claudette.shalfleet.net/advent/makeajessetree.htm

[brittone2]

We always add in the local holiday Christmas parades as one of our activities for our Advent calendar.

[kristenk]

I don't know what happened to my list. Here are a few that I remember from last year that weren't on your list:

watching a holiday movie
reading a holiday book
making hot chocolate
go see a holiday show/performance
make dough ornaments
make Christmas presents for relatives
pictures with Santa
writing a letter to Santa


I'll add more when I think of them!

[SnuggleBuggles]

What a fun idea! Writing these down now!

Beth

[MamaKath]

Okay I just found what I was looking for but it is in a book. They suggest taking a 12 inch candle and scoring/marking it in 24 increments to light each night starting December 1. I will working on typing up the ideas they have (my connection has not been good tonight and I hate to type it and loose it) and will post it either later tonight or try to get it up tomorrow.
I just typed them up quickly and haven't spell checked, etc so bear with me. Some of the ideas on the list are religious. I am typing it to share with my students later this month and teach in a religious school. I am not meaning to offend anyone when I post it, rather provide ideas. The first batch of them is from a family devotional book, the additional ones are mine. Hth~

1. Write a Christmas poem.
2. Put up some Christmas lights. Remember Jesus, the Light of the World.
3. Share favorite Bible stories.
4. Read Isaiah 9:6.
5. Listen to tapes of Christmas music.
6. Trace the heart cookie cutter and cut out hearts for Jesus. Hang one on the tree with each family member/person’s name written on one.
7. Decorate an evergreen wreath.
8. Read Luke 2:1-7
9. Assemble a nativity scene.
10. Sing “Away in a Manger.” Place a box on a bench or a stool as a manger. Begin to fill with non-perishable foods for a local food pantry.
11. Write a Christmas prayer.
12. Bake a birthday cake for Jesus.
13. Sing “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Build the town of Bethlehem out of blocks or legos.
14. Exchange small Christmas presents to remind you of the BEST gift of all- Jesus.
15. Read a children’s picture book about the birth of Jesus.
16. Make clay angels. Read Luke 2:8-14.
17. Sing “Joy to the World.” Clap out the beat as you sing.
18. Ring bells.
19. Read Luke 2:15-20. Enjoy candy canes shaped like shepherd canes.
20. Turn off all the lights except the candle and sing “Silent Night.”
21. Draw pictures of the first Christmas.
22. Cut an apple in half across the core. See the “star” inside. Read Matthew 2:1-2.
23. Go outside and look at the stars. Talk about the special star God placed above the stable.
24. Act out or panomime the Christmas story.


Additional ideas-
1. Visit a place that has a special nativity display. For example a local church with a live display or a putz at a local church (typically Moravian; Bethlehem, PA has one at the Moravian college).
2. Make a salt dough nativity.
3. Make Christmas ornaments out of salt dough or cinnamon/applesauce dough.
4. Write and illustrate your own Christmas story book.
5. Wrap up books that will hold special meaning for the holidays and let your child open one each night.
6. Make a Jesse tree.
7. Make cookies to share with others.
8. Choose a gift project the whole family (and friends) can participate in based on your family‘s interests and skills. Work together to complete the project.
9. Print your own wrapping paper. Use sponges, thumb prints, even apples (cut across the core to show the star) dipped in paint or ink.
10. Learn about the traditions other countries have. Share in one that is indicative of your family background.

[brittone2]

2 more I don't think were mentioned:

Decorate a gingerbread house (Costco has pre assembled ones which is easier with little ones IMO)

In addition to Toys for Tots (new toy to donate), clean out the old toys and donate to Goodwill, etc. I always like doing this in late Nov/early December anyway so we aren't as pressed for space after Christmas.

[alien_host]

Great lists!

I don't think this was mentioned....we do these:

1) Select Christmas tree (and we go out and buy one that day)
2) Decorate Christmas tree (usually next day after it falls)
3) Hang Stockings on the fireplace with care

[Melaine]

Yay! Thanks for this thread. :bighand:

[Puddy73]

What a fun thread! We are starting a "Christmas Tree Camp Out" night this year. We'll let the kids roast marshmallows in the fireplace and sleep in sleeping bags around the tree.

[alien_host]

What a fun thread! We are starting a "Christmas Tree Camp Out" night this year. We'll let the kids roast marshmallows in the fireplace and sleep in sleeping bags around the tree.


oooh that would be fun! I forgot about makine s'mores....I'm def. adding that one and maybe the camp out too.

[ourbabygirl]

I bought one of the wooden door type ones today at Joann's (Michael's doesn't have any, I guess). They have many different styles- snowman, Santa I think, a house, a nativity scene (the one I bought), and one or two others. They're all $49.99, but 40% off (as is most/ all of their Christmas stuff, I think) until the 14th. Excited I found one! Now I'm going to print off the list I typed off and put the little strips of paper listing each activity in each little box.

[zoestargrove]

thanks for starting this thread. I hide the craft materials, book, gift or whatever it is for the day somewhere in the house and leave a clue in the tiny advent box for the kids. I think the enjoy the hunt even more.

I don't think these have been mentioned

feed the birds. We usually put out suet containers, pinecones covered in peanut butter and seeds, etc..

Make ornaments for the tree

cut out paper snowflakes

make special gifts for grandparents

take a car ride after dinner to enjoy the light displays around town.