... advent

i love this time of year! i love the decorations, the lights, the smells... the extra, special time we spend with one another. i just love it!

one of the things we do as a family is our advent calendar. it is filled with special things to do on each day of december. we might not do it traditionally, but we've made it our own.

Christmas is such a fun time for my children, filled with the message of the One who came and loads of memory-making activities!

i've been working on our activities and thought i would share my list with you!

when we first started, i just filled a jar with slips of paper with activities to do and let the kids pick. this is an awesome way to start, but the unpredictability didn't work so well for me us. 

now with the calendar, i can plan (and move things around if needed)!

plan?! who me? when i say plan, i use it loosely. if i know what is coming in the next few days, then i can have ingredients, directions... motivation :)

i've heard so many people say that they would love to do something like this, but weren't sure if they had the time. make it your own. if you aren't up for a daily activity, you could make it a weekend thing.

i try to make most of the activities very simple, and now i hope to make it simple for you! 

so here are some of ours (in no particular order)...

• watch a Christmas movie

• make cookies/goodies for the mailman

• go to Dickens of a Christmas in franklin, dec. 8-9

• go see the lights at the Opryland Hotel

• have a cookie decorating party (here's a great way to make it less messy!)

• do a Christmas art project

• go to or leave for our family's Christmas celebration (if you have more than one)

• go to your local Christmas parade (nashville - dec. 7, franklin - dec. 1)

• open an early Christmas present (we usually give new Christmas pjs!)

• go to the Christmas celebration at Rocketown featuring the Unity Choir (more info here)

• drive around and look at Christmas lights - i LOVE this idea
• read the Christmas story from Luke while having hot chocolate by the tree
• make a new ornament (this is so sweet)
• make cookies/goodies for the garbage men (because my kids LOVE them!)
• make goodies for our local firemen and take them to the station (super fun for my boys)
• have a fancy birthday dinner for Jesus - dress up, get out the china, light some candles, make a cake!
• have a "sleepover" by the tree - make pallets, watch a movie or read stories
• make homemade gifts for friends
• tell the story of the real St. Nicholas and make a santa craft (i want to do a version of this, but santa instead)
• make Christmas cards for friends and family
• make goody baskets and "elf" someone - you can download a printable to use here

    and the best for last...
• celebrate the birth of Jesus with giving, eating, playing and lots and lots of love!!!

i hope this has been helpful!
may your season be blessed!