We started the tradition of an advent activity calendar last year. I like to include as many activities as possible and steer away from too much materialism. The kids enjoy these activities so much and I am sure the will be lots of fun for mom and dad too :) In the future, I would like to include more community service activities, but love bug is still a bit young this year.
Take a peek into the activities we will do this year. I will try to post pics frequently as well, capturing these moments...
December 1: Set up the nativity scene
2: Get Christmas books from the library
3: Play Mary and Joseph and reenact their long journey
4: Make a Christmas box for kids in need (Smiley and Lovebug will each pick things and wrap their individual Christmas boxes)
5: Bake Graettimaenner (a Swiss tradition of baking a dough man for St. Nikolaus)
6: Celebrate St. Nikolaus
7: Make a gingerbread house
8: New PJ's for the kids
9: Make beeswax candles (rolled with beeswax sheets and wicking)
10: Watch a Christmas movie with popcorn and hot chocolate
11: View Christmas lights
12: Go ice skating (first time for the kids)
13: Make Christmas stars (window decoration)
14: Make Christmas cookies
15: Make gifts and cards for friends
16: Pick a Christmas Tree
17: Decorate our Christmas Tree
18: Make and Bake Salt Dough Ornaments
19: Paint our Salt Dough Ornaments
20: Visit Santa
21: Each child gets to pick a new ornament
22: String popcorn and cranberries for the tree
23: Walk in the moonlight to see the moon/stars
24: Write a note to Santa, bake cookies for Santa and get carrots for the reindeers ready
What are your advent plans? Will you have a calendar?
