24 activities for a homemade Christmas Advent Calendar

Every single year we go out and buy a chocolate advent calendar for the girls, but this year I felt the need to start a tradition. So when I visited a shop in our local town called Past Times and came across a lovely wooden light up advent calendar, I knew now was the time.

My two are still really keen on receiving a chocolate everyday (I mean who isn’t) but I didn’t want to just leave it at that.  So for our first year I have come up with 24 activities for the girls to either do, say or take part in.  Some of them are linked to events we already have booked, like visiting Father Christmas or the school Christmas Fair. But others are things like help Daddy, play board games with Granny or just smile at everyone for the day.

Here are the 24 activities I have come up with:

1. Here are some cards for you to send. Now go and write one for each of your friends
2. Say something nice to everyone you see today
3. Let’s help others today – ask Nana how you can help her out
4. Leave a happy note for someone to find
5. Be Daddy’s little helpers
6. Let’s have a competition – who can make the longest Christmas garland
7. Be Mummy’s little helpers
8. School Christmas Fair fun time
9. Wash your hands, get ready to make. Today let’s make a Christmas bake
10. Get out the baubles. Get out the lights. Decorate the tree with all your might
11. Deliver Christmas cards to our neighbours
12. Play board games with Granny
13. Sshh be quiet, what can you hear? Listen carefully tonight!! (our local Rotary club send round a sleigh with Father Christmas on, tonight it’s our areas turn)
14. As Christmas approaches we all want new things…so we must donate some old stuff while everyone sings
15. You have an appointment with Father Christmas
16. How many pine cones can you find on the dog walk today
17. Make a Christmas pressie for the birds
18. Here are some bubbles for Christmas scented baths. How many sleeps now, can you do the Maths?
19. Paint the pine cones you picked up on your walk on Sunday. Hang them around the house
20. Read Christmas stories at bedtime
21. Schools out for Christmas! Turn the Christmas tunes up & have a disco
22. Twinkle twinkle litter star – time to see all the lights at Coleton Aglow
23. Let’s see how many Christmas films we can watch today.
24. Let’s all go for a family festive swim (this is something we do every Christmas Eve- the girls think its fun, we do it to wear them out!!)

I will say, these are not all my ideas. A quick google and a search in a Facebook group did help me to come up with these.

If this is something you would like to do, I have linked my list as a word file which will hopefully give you a head start. You should be able to amend this to make it your own, add your own Christmas activities and traditions. Please feel free to use it. If you do give this a go though I would love to hear your ideas.

Happy Advent!

Jo

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