Advent Calendar – CraZy MeSsy CoOl

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Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year. Our family advent calendar helps us to make the whole month of December magical. Each day has a Christmas themed activity and we try to make sure to add in reminders of the true meaning of Christmas as well.

Instead of using the advent calendars that give you a piece of candy or a little gift we use this calendar to help us create memories and traditions. You can start by either purchasing a pocket calendar or making your own like I did. You can then choose from the list of activities below or come up with some of your own.

Download Printable Advent Calendar Activities HereDownload

Build a Gingerbread House
Write a letter to Santa
Decorate the Tree
Go see Christmas Lights
Go Christmas Shopping
Volunteer at a soup kitchen or donate food to food bank
Wrap Presents
Choose three toys to donate
Read a Christmas Story
Make DIY Snow Globe
Make Paper Snowflakes
Go Christmas Caroling
Decorate Christmas Cookies
Watch a Christmas Movie
Send Christmas Cards
Stay up late and drink hot chocolate
Wear PJs all day
Soak in a candle lit bubble bath
Have a Game Night
Bake a birthday cake for Jesus
Make Cinnamon Rolls
Have a fancy dress code for dinner
Make an Ornament
Make a Christmas board game
Sprinkle the yard with reindeer food
Build a snowman
Go Ice skating
Listen to Christmas Music/ Have a dance party
Go Sledding

I then sit down with my calendar and pick which day I want to do each activity. I try to keep the simple and less time consuming activities for the weekdays and I try to put the treat activities closer to Christmas so that I can have plenty of goodies to bring to the gatherings. Once you have printed and cut them out you can put each slip in the pocket of your choosing.

Most of these are simple and self explanatory but some of them have a little more meaning. Giving away three toys is one of my favorites because I try to make Christmas more about finding the joy in giving gifts. I also loved volunteering at a soup kitchen with my family. Even my three year old was able to help out. We went around with the soup cart and it was her job to ask who wanted soup. She absolutely loved helping and it brought so much joy to everyone in the room! The atmosphere in the room was humbling. It was amazing to see the amount of joy from people who are less fortunate or do not have much. It really goes to show that money and things are not what bring happiness. The generosity of everyone really seemed to exude a positive energy and Christmas spirit that I had not felt before.

Christmas caroling is another tradition that I have been doing with my family since I was a baby. Every year we get together with a group of family and friends and go door to door raising money for different children’s organizations throughout the community. Not sure why I love it so much considering how much I hate the cold but I really cannot imagine a Christmas without it.

A newer favorite of mine is baking a cake for Jesus’ birthday. This is such a great reminder for the reason for the season. Our church the last couple of years sent the kids home with a birthday cake kit for us to bake and decorate a cake. It is always so fun getting the kids involved in the kitchen especially when cake is involved.

The activities like building a snowman and sledding are obviously weather permitting. I will often have those options printed out in case there is snow in the forecast. When there is a snowy day I will secretly slip it in.

I hope that you and your family choose to do some form of an advent calendar this year. You will not be sorry that you did. The memories will last a lifetime. I truly believe that a big reason why Christmas is still so magical for me is due to all of the special memories that my family created when I was young and I have carried with me over the years.

I would love to hear about your family traditions. Let me know if there are some great memories and traditions that you could not imagine going a Christmas without.

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