Wednesday, November 29, 2017

The Advent Calendar

Until this year, I haven't officially done an advent calendar with my family. Fall is a busy time for my us with lots of visitors, and there's something about going from  halloween costumes, to menu planning for Thanksgiving, to birthday planning for my daughter, to getting ready for Christmas. By the time December rolls around, I'm just tired and this is one of those things that usually slips through the cracks. This year I decided to do an "activity" advent (in the loosest sense). I've filled it with simple things like "reading the Christmas story" and "watching 'White Christmas' ", and a few bigger activities that we are already planning on doing. There's something about having it written down that is fun and exciting for the girls. In an effort to not get caught up in the hustle and bustle of this season,  I also reserve the right to rearrange and substitute as necessary. Feeling exhausted? Maybe today's activity is to watch a "Elf" instead of going ice skating.  Here are some of the things we are doing:

1. decorate the tree & house
2. drink hot chocolate & play board games
3. watch White Christmas
4. make cookies for the neighbors
5. go to the Nutcracker ballet (a favorite tradition every year)
6. watch Elf
7. pick out a toy to donate to a child
8. decorate christmas cookies with friends (already on the calendar)
9. read The Nutcracker
10. make christmas ornaments
11. leave something special in the mailboxfor the mailman
12. watch Miracle on 34th Street
13. make gingerbread houses
14. eat santa pancakes
15. make a gift box for a child in need
16. make gingersnap cookies
17. make paper snowflakes
18. choose nonperishable items for a food drive
19. go to the christmas tree lighting downtown
20. go ice skating
21. visit NYC and see the Christmas tree and lights (we are already doing this)
22.make paper chains (my girls were obsessed with this last year)
23. watch A Charlie Brown Christmas
24. Read The Christmas Story



0 comments: