Christmas is coming! While it can be hard to think that far ahead in the family calendar, it will be here before you know it so, it’s time to start planning.
Many families start off the month of December counting down to the big holiday in various ways, including the old standard chocolate Advent calendar, or the visitation of a certain spying elf. Companies have started offering themed Advent calendars featuring everything from beer and wine for the grown-ups to art supplies, bath products, and toys. This year, why not try an activity-based calendar that will delight the entire family?
Before my child was born, I had grown to absolutely hate Christmas. I had worked retail for most of my university career, and I found the slog of Christmas music, commercialism and rude customers (combined with the stress of family obligations) made me dread the holiday. By the time Christmas Eve rolled around, I was completely done!
One year, I tried something new, and the Activity Advent was born. Back before kids, the Advent calendar was just a jar filled with slips of paper that had fun holiday items written on them. Every day, my husband and I would pull one out. These included easy tasks like wearing Christmas socks, getting a fancy holiday-themed beverage, watching a holiday movie, or baking cookies.
Once our child was born, the Advent calendar changed to a fixed schedule. Each slip was marked for the correct day and included holiday events in our community. Eventually, the jar was replaced by a traditional paper ring chain, and then upgraded to our current version – a fabric ring chain with built-in pockets for each slip of paper.
My favorite thing about the Activity Advent is that it’s completely customizable! We pick events and activities that we enjoy as a family and have some back-up ideas on hand just in case. Pinterest is full of great activity ideas from other parents, and Calgary has tons of family events throughout December. For families who prefer to celebrate the more religious aspects of Christmas, feel free to add Bible readings to your calendar alongside the activities. Families can choose to fill their Advent with reading a different holiday book every day, outings, activities around the house, or mix up different ideas! If your family doesn’t celebrate Christmas, you can repurpose this idea to make a different countdown! Just select the number of days to the event you’re counting down to and that’s the number of activities you need.
Creating your Activity Advent Calendar
When I began my Activity Advent I was disenchanted with Christmas as a whole, but by choosing to get excited about one small thing a day, I found some joy in the season again. This is a tradition our family enjoys every year, and it reminds us to take some time together, even in the busiest season.
Trista is a stay-at-home mom and loves to share her discoveries about how to make life in Calgary work for families of all kinds.
Here are some ideas from my collection:
Trista is a stay-at-home mom and loves to share her discoveries about how to make life in Calgary work for families of all kinds.
See our related articles:
Calgary’s Child Magazine © 2024 Calgary’s Child
