Every year, we do an Advent Calendar. It's a rhythm we've always appreciated as a family and it gives moments of calm in the busy days leading up to Christmas. Also, it seems there's something very orienting about counting down the days to Christmas.
To say it another way, I think there's just something special about expectation.
I make tweaks to our calendar every year, and some days it's just a corny joke. Other days, it's an act of service that may take some preplanning (hot tip-actually have the supplies and time available if it's a hot cocoa party day or if you need to have socks on hand!). I let the girls rotate opening up the Advent Calendar each morning.
Here's our 2022 Advent Calendar (with some extras for filler and flexibility):
- Write card for your teachers and tell them what you like best about them
- Write card for your teachers and tell them what you like best about them
- Bring cookies to the firefighters
- Read a Christmas book - Here's some options we've liked for this for little kids, this and this classic for medium kids and for this one for adults.
- Host a hot cocoa party - Bonus points if you invite friends & neighbors and have fancy syrups. Just sayin.
- Mail letter to Santa - we drop our letters in the month of December (here's a full list of drop off locations) and some of the letters will even receive a response from Santa himself!
- Bake cookies - from scratch or a tube. No one really cares as long as they're delicious!
- Make a gingerbread house - Michaels, Five Below and Target have some great options. World Market has one for all you MCM lovers out there!
- Have a candlelit family dinner - the girls set up the table fancy and we even use the good plates.
- Go see a Christmas light display - We did Candy Cane Lane (free) a couple years ago and we've done the Jingle Bus too (tickets needed in advance).
- Tell your family what you like best about them at dinner - an oldie but a goodie, and oh-so-important now that they're older and don't want to talk anymore.
- Unwrap a gift under the tree - I save this one for Christmas Eve and let them open their Christmas pajamas.
- Watch some funny holiday videos - YouTube has no shortage of these.
- Make a list of all the things you’re thankful for and tell us about it at dinner.
- Pancakes for dinner! - Classic. 'Nuf said.
- Check the reindeer camera - Not always thrilling, but the kids can see how the reindeer are looking as they prep for Christmas.
- Leave a kind note for someone where they will see it.
- Draw a picture for someone today.
- Donate new socks to a local shelter - Socks are the #1 clothing need of those experiencing homelessness. Get some long, warm ones. (Also, here's a list of the most urgently needed items from the Milwaukee Rescue Mission).
- Compliment as many people as you can today
- Do something--anything-- to help your poor, tired, cold parents today - Feel free to insert your own adjectives!
- Call a relative to say hello & tell them you love them.
- Pray for someone today.
- Do a secret act of kindness for a friend today.
And here's some bonus content for busy days when you just can't fit in one more thing:
Christmas joke:
Q. Why are Christmas trees so bad at sewing?
A. They always drop their needles!
Christmas joke:
Q. What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
A. Frostbite!
Christmas joke:
Q: What goes “Oh Oh Oh”?
A: Santa walking backwards.
Christmas joke:
Q: How do you keep your hands clean over the holidays?
A. With Santa-tizer
Christmas joke
Q: What did one snowman say to the other?
A. Do you smell carrots?
Christmas joke
Q What nationality is Santa Claus?
A: North Polish.
Christmas joke
Q. What is it called when a snowman has a temper tantrum?
A. A meltdown.
Christmas joke
Q. Why do reindeer like Beyoncé so much?
A. She sleighs
Christmas joke
Q. What do you call an obnoxious reindeer?
A. Rude-olph
Christmas joke
Q. What do snowmen eat for breakfast?
A. Ice Crispies
Here's some links to some good options if you're in the market for a new calendar here here here and here (currently on sale!)
