There are so many great ideas out there for fun things to do as a family to get into the Christmas Spirit. Every year, I have the best intentions of following through with all these ideas to go along with the advent calendar. However, I’ve come to realize that the Holiday Season is just too busy to fit it all in. This year, I’m just gonna go with the flow… no mom guilt(!).
Here are a bunch of (my favorite) festive ideas, categorized this year to make it easier.
In The Kitchen:
-Gingerbread cookies (surprise a neighbor or two with a plate)
-Make Santa Claus Crackers
-Decorate Gingerbread houses
Holiday Outings:
-Take a drive to see all the Christmas lights (with Hot Chocolate). Bring a treat for the “Best Christmas Lights” house
-Visit Santa Claus
-Go to the Festival of Trees
-Visit Temple Square to see all the lights
-Attend a Christmas concert
At Home:
-Write a letter to Santa
-A bubble bath with Christmas confetti
-A Christmas Puzzle
-Host a Christmas party for Avery & friends
-Host a cookie exchange
-Sing Christmas carols together
-Watch a festive movie together: Elf or How The Grinch Stole Christmas
-Play a game in front of the fire
-Send Christmas Cards
When It Snows:
-Build a snowman
-Go sledding!
Spirit:
-Help with a Christmas service project as a family
-Act out the nativity scene
-Read the Christmas Story in the Bible (in Luke) to remind us of the true reason for Christmas.
I hope this list helps you in planning out a fun holiday season for you and yours.
Are you doing an Advent Calendar this year?
*To make an advent calendar like this one, I found mine at Bed, Bath & Beyond and then I just modpodged scrapbook paper on each door. Then I used chip board numbers and old holiday cards on the inside to make it fun for the kids to look inside.
*Sharing this Christmas post with these blog parties.
What a great list! I'm excited to explore our great nation's capitol and discover it's holiday traditions! As for an advent calendar, yes we do one every year, but to be honest, we never do one with "treasures" – it's just traditional and the gift you get is simply excitement about being one day closer to Christmas!
My husband's mom is from Switzerland, so we also do a few Swiss traditions, including Advent (singing songs and reading Christmas stories with family and friends on the four Sunday evenings preceding Christmas) and celebrating Swiss Santa, who comes to fill our boots with trinkets and treats on the 6th of December.
I LOVE your list! And I love your Advent calendar. Did you make that? It's darling. So is your header. So are you! What a fun post to get us all feeling Christmas!
I love advent calendars and my kids LOVE them too. We are doing a lot of those ideas. I finished all my shopping on black friday so now I can sit back and enjoy the whole month's activities:)
Love your list–it's simple yet perfect. I might even be able to get some of those things checked off!
I would love to make my own advent calendar, but the fact that I'm only going to be home for about 9 days the whole month of December kinda makes it pointless. But I love yours so much!! Lots of great ideas too! Dave and I like to take treats to the houses whose lights we love. So far the light displays in Lubbock are falling way short of Utah County's!
nice list.
what do you have there in your calendar?
yes we do one and i think ours is just like the one you have pictured.
Perfect list!
We always do an advent calendar. One of my favorite traditions!
Love this post
Elf is my fav part
vanessa from inevergrewup.net
I love this list and plan on stealing many of your ideas. In years past, I've just stuck an M&M in each of the advent calendar doors. My kids have been so ripped off!
i saw this yesterday and was glad because i had been wanting a new idea or two–totally gonna incorporate the confetti bubble bath.
and STILL coveting that advent.
Great ideas Kam, I think I will have to do a lot of those fun activities. Also, great Christmas book list, thanks for the ideas!
These are lovely! Such inspiration and beautiful holiday decor! Great job here; I’m so glad I stumbled upon your post.
hugs
cidinha