Advent Calendars

Last weekend, (I think in response to me saying we'd missed a lot of fall because things are so crazy) Micah said "We're going to enjoy the NALGAS out of the holidays this year!"  Nalgas is a Spanish word for buttocks - it's like saying "We're going to enjoy the buttocks out of the holidays this year!"  I realize that this statement is very random and nonsensical.  But it made me so happy to hear him say this.  Because I want to enjoy the nalgas out of the holidays so badly!  I don't want to miss them.  I think the festive holiday idea that I'm talking about today is one GREAT way to enjoy the buttocks out of the holidays.  You in?

ADVENT CALENDARS!!!  Just stay with me here.  I love the idea of having a calendar that Douglas (and one day Timon) can open or do something with to mark each day leading up to Christmas.  But many advent calendars involve candy treats, and I'm not down with the idea of giving my kid candy every day of December.  I'm just not.  Or even toys or gadgets every day, because I fear that would make him greedy or ungrateful.

SO, after some online searching, I came across this idea of having activities instead of treats.  You make a list of things you want to do with your spouse or kid(s).  For spouse it could be "candlelight picnic dinner by the fire" or "watch It's a Wonderful Life in pjs" or "camp under the Christmas tree".  For kids it could be "build a snowman" or "pick out a Christmas tree" or "make popcorn and cranberry garland".  There are some GENIUS ideas out there.  And what I love is that it helps you to really experience the holiday season - to enjoy it and make new memories instead of letting it pass you by while you run around like a crazy person.

I happen to believe that EVERYTHING is more fun and festive when wearing Santa hats or Reindeer antlers.  Just sayin'.  We wore them for Dougie's Adoption Day celebration in '09 (pictured here), my Mom's 60th bday dinner, Christmas morning, Christmas Wine and Cheese Party...They're SO VERSATILE as you can imagine.

There are a million great ideas out there.  I'll put a list below that is a few of my own ideas combined with ideas I found online.  You have to modify it based on your kids' age(s), of course.  Douglas can't do a lot of the bigger kid things.  If we tried to have him camp out under the Christmas tree, he'd be awake all night pulling ornaments down.  No thank you.

My nephew helping Uncle Micah with the tree lights a few years ago

The idea is this:  you come up with your own list.  Type it and print it out.  Stash it somewhere your kids (or spouse) won't see it.  Then, the night before (so you know important things like the weather, your plans for the day, your mood, etc.) you cut out the activity you want to do and place that slip of paper in the slot for the next day.  You can make the slip of paper as fancy or basic as you want to.  You can print the ideas out on cutesy labels and stick them on colorful paper.  Or you can just print them out on white computer paper and cut them out.

Each day, the little elf gets to pull the card out and discover what AWESOME activity you get to do that day!  If you have friends doing the same thing, you can coordinate - for example, one day's activity could be "go to _____'s house and make Gingerbread cookies".

If this makes your little holiday heart happy, then look for one that you like online or in stores OR make your own.  There are tons of ideas out there - Google "homemade advent calendar" if you're interested in making one.  Or click on this link for ideas.  You can make a simple one out of construction paper (for the slots, days 1-24) and poster board (for the tree or whatever shape you're doing).

I found one online last year that I loved and tweaked it a little.  It took some time, I'm not gonna lie.  But it was therapeutic for me at the time.  This year I wouldn't dream of taking on something like that with Timon at the age he's at.  So just do what works for you.  To make mine, I just used fabric, felt (I used stencils and some serious cutting work for the letters), a little of that white cottony stuff that comes in a sheet that I put inside it to make it a little thicker, and some rudimentary sewing skills.  And a hot glue gun.  The tops of the little envelopes are all open so I can just slip the paper in there.  I bought the stuff to make a star for the top last year - maybe that will actually get done this year.

Also, remember to add things to the list that are already on your calendar.  Like little Timmy's holiday show at school or driving to Grandma and Grandpa's house for Christmas or going to a friend's holiday party.  And consider saving some of the more time-intensive activities for the weekend while using up the ones like "drink hot cider" on a Monday when things are busy and hectic already.

Now for the idea list.  If you have ideas to add (and I know some of you will, so don't be shy) post a comment here with your idea and I'll add it to the master list.  I'm combining the kid list and adult list here because there's a lot of crossover.  This list is L-O-N-G.  I tried to cut it down but then thought to myself, "What do I know?  Other people may LOVE the ideas that I think aren't that exciting!"  So I'm leaving it long.  I know, you're shocked.

Advent Calendar Activities
These ideas came from a variety of places.  I checked out a few sites while coming up with the list. 

1. Build a snowman
2. Go sledding
3. Bundle up and star gaze
4. Go to the store and buy a new Christmas CD
5. Act out the Nativity scene
6. Camp out around the tree for a night
7. Have a picnic dinner by the tree
8. Clean out old toys and donate to charity
9. Go shopping for an Angel Tree person
10. Put on fun music and dance like crazy
11. Give everyone crazy hair styles
12. Make a snow scape using shaving cream and toy people
13. Have puppets tell a bedtime story
14. Pick out a Christmas tree
15. Decorate the Christmas tree
16. Deliver gifts to neighbors or friends
17. Do something kind for a loved one
18. Dress fancy for dinnertime
19. Exchange gifts
20. Drive to see Christmas lights
21. Make Spiced Cider
22. Make Hot Chocolate
23. Read your favorite Christmas book while drinking Hot Chocolate
24. Have a game night by the tree or fireplace
25. Go caroling at a retirement home
26. Go for Ice Cream
27. Go Ice Skating
28. Go out to a fun restaurant
29. Go to the Nutcracker
30. Go to a seasonal movie
31. Go to a Holiday concert
32. Have friends over and watch holiday movies
33. Have breakfast for dinner
34. Host a tea party
35. Make a Gingerbread House
36. Make cookies or candy and surprise a friend or neighbor with some of them
37. Make ornaments for family members
38. Make handmade gift tags for relatives
39. Make popcorn/cranberry garland
40. Take a neighborhood walk at night with lanterns or flashlights
41. Pack a picnic dinner and take it to the park or Botanical Gardens
42. Paint everyone's toenails
43. Progressive Dinner with family or friends
44. Make a big, traditional breakfast while listening to Christmas music
45. Read the Christmas story in Luke 2 of the Bible
46. Sing Christmas Carols
47. Set out milk and cookies and celery for Santa and the reindeer
48. Take a bubble bath
49. Tell stories of childhood Christmas traditions around the fire
50. Visit Santa at the mall
51. Make popcorn, get in your pjs, and watch a holiday movie (or Christmas special on tv)
52. Wrap gifts
53. Write Christmas letters to family members
54. Write letters to Santa
55. Write someone a letter telling them how special they are to you
56. Put on Christmas music and decorate the house for the holidays
57. Put up lights on the house
58. Roast marshmallows in the fireplace with candlelight and, of course, Christmas music!
59. Have dinner by candlelight (my nephews love this!)
60. Pick out a new book at the book store and read it before bed tonight
61. Make Holiday Oranges (take an orange and stick whole cloves into the peel - smells delish!!)

 

Take these ideas, choose which ones you love, come up with others of your own, and make it happen!  And please share traditions or ideas from your own experience that are fun so others can benefit, too!