Instead of painting the numbers on, I used some stickers I already had.
I also put an activity and a scripture on the back. The scriptures I mainly took from this list.There are lots of great activity lists you can find online. I looked through a bunch, and made my own to match our schedule.
2-Sun—Temple Lights & Concert
3-Mon—Make Nativity
4-Tues—Make Snowflakes
5-Wed—Send Christmas Cards
6-Thurs—Take cookies to local fire station
7-Fri—Watch a Christmas movie
8-Sat—Make treats for neighbors
9-Sun—Deliver treats
10-Mon—Drive around and see the Christmas Lights
11-Tues—Make Christmas Tree ornaments
12-Wed—Sing Christmas Songs
13-Thurs—Play a Christmas game
14-Fri—Watch Nutcracker
15-Sat—Doorbell Ditch w/treats
16-Sun—Picnic next to the tree
17-Mon—Look at pictures of Christmas past
18-Tues—Collect coins to put in Salvation Army Buckets
19-Wed—Dance to Christmas songs
20-Thurs—Downtown Christmas
21-Fri—No Lights*—Wrap presents
22-Sat –-No Lights—Make bird seed ornaments
23-Sun—No Lights—Sing at Rest Home
24-Mon—No Lights—Dinner for the Holy Family & Feed the birds
25-Tues—Merry Christmas!
*We're going to try to limit our use of lights and electricity in the evenings on the last few days leading up to Christmas. In my experience, candles do much to calm people down and create a special and even sacred atmosphere that regular lighting can't duplicate. I'm also hoping it helps us to get to bed early these nights!
One thing I liked about this advent calendar, was that it was so quick and easy, I didn't feel like I was necessarily committing to a lifetime of doing these same traditions. We'll see how it goes, and if we want to use this again next year, or come up with something different.
Are we starting too many traditions this year? We're also going to try the Christmas Book Advent this year. We'll be mostly using library books.
Did you make an advent calendar that you loved? What activities would you add to your list? What other Christmas traditions do you love?
I may have to steal.. um borrow this idea to do with my little family :) Every year I've wanted to do an advent but have always felt too overwhelmed but this sounds lovely! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis really does look so easy! We had one when I was growing up, and have wanted o do that for my kids too. We just loved it when I was little! Thanks for your sleuthing, A!
ReplyDeleteI love this too Ariel. We have loved the nativity advent calendar that Grandma Marshall made us when Andrew and pals were little. Also we used to burn a numbered candle each night and read a Christmas story till the date of that day was burned down to the next.
ReplyDeleteI love your "lights out" nights. What a good idea. Truly does create an atmosphere to use candles. Looks like we'll have a couple of those in Orlando. :) And I love the mere fact that you are planning these things ahead; it is fun to have things to look forward to, when we're little, and when we're big. What a Merry Christmas.