Advent is here

Ready and waiting!

(This post is a repeat from September, when I made the calendar. The picture above is of the filled calendar this morning, though.)

Christmas is coming!

I realized recently that we don't have an Advent calendar. I loved using ours as a child. I remember sitting in my father's lap, reading the verse for that night and putting the ornament on the fabric tree. I wanted to make one for our family to use  now, but one problem - I don't sew.

I found a ready-to-be decorated calendar at a craft store. I wasn't even looking for it!  I also found a felt nativity set. I glued the figures onto the calendar. That was the easy part.

My original idea was to make something similar to what I had grown up with - 24 pieces of scripture that corresponded with the 24 ornaments. Since I didn't make the same design, that wouldn't work. Instead, I printed up a list of 24 different things to do. It took a while to come up with that many ideas, but I did it! I used Excel to make "blocks" of paper that will be easier to cut out. I'll print them, cut out, and fold each one and put into the calendar. Each day the girls can take out the paper and we'll do the activity as a family.

I can't wait.

Here is my list of things to do:
Make cookies
Read the Christmas story
Watch White Christmas
Decorate bedroom doors
Breakfast for dinner
Make handprint/footprint reindeer
Make S'mores
Play board games together
Watch Polar Express in PJs
Do something nice for each other
Take cookies to the neighbors
Write a letter to Santa
Make paper snowflakes
Make Christmas cards for grandparents
Make brownies
Unplugged night
Drive around to see Christmas lights
Read a Christmas book together
Make an ornament
Share favorite times of the past year
Visit Santa
Watch Charlie Brown Christmas
Make hot chocolate with marshmallows
Watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas