How We Celebrate Advent

Last year we started a new tradition in our family.  I think it’ll probably end up being one of my favorite things we do every year.  We decided to be very intentional about celebrating advent, reading through the Christmas story every night in Luke and having some kind of special activity every day in December leading up to Jesus’ birthday.  I love it.  Not only are we reflecting (and our little birds learning) about why we celebrate Christmas each and every day, but we also make the whole month extra special with daily activities.  So. Much.  Fun.

So this is the advent calendar I whipped up this year.  All I needed was a couple pieces of scrapbook paper, some glue and my Cricut.  If you want a super easy advent calendar, at least at our Target, they sell some cute felt ones in the dollar section.  So there’s still time to get in on the advent action. I just saw this one today and I think I’ll try to get the supplies to make one this season to use for years to come instead of making a new one every year.  Pretty!

And if you’re in need of some ideas for activities, here’s the rundown of what we’ll be doing this year:

Christmas PJs – our kiddos get a new pair of Christmas-themed jammies on the first day of advent each year

Read the Christmas story (a book, in addition to the Bible) together

New Christmas movie – this year we got two Veggie Tales Christmas movies for the kids

Decorate a gingerbread house

Make Christmas sugar cookies

No Hands Spaghetti Night

Random Acts of Kindness

Daddy/Daughter Date Night – the little guy and I will do something special too while The Phoenix takes Miss Captivating out on the town

Special breakfast

Bath Party in the big bath tub – our little birds will get to take their bath in our bath tub, which will kind of be like getting to swim in the winter.

Christmas Party with friends

Scavenger Hunt

Make fudge – A Phoenix specialty

MOPS Christmas Party for the kids

Picnic for dinner in front of the fireplace

Kids Shopping Day

Out for a special dinner

Festival Lights Drive

Watch Elf and make fancy popcorn

Make ornaments for our real tree

Fun, special snack

Drive around our neighborhood looking at lights

Take treats to our neighbors

Fancy family dinner at home (every Christmas Eve we get dressed up, have a fancy dinner by candlelight, then go to church together)

Birthday cake for Jesus!  My little bird insists this year that he’d like chocolate with chocolate icing.  Sounds good to me!

I am so excited for the next few weeks of fun we have planned for our family.  Now, if only I could figure out how to keep my little guy from taking all the ornaments off the tree…

You may also like:

Lizzy’s Punch

Fast, Easy German Chocolate Fudge

Merry Christmas!